_roma and such_

Well, we're back in Roma, with one week of class under our belts. I'm currently researching the incredibly interesting (aka yawn-inducing) world of Italian Fascist architecture. And I'm listening to a sermon from Mars Hill. And it is such an incredible breath of fresh air. I found in through my wonderful New Tribe back in New York, which I miss a lot. A lot a lot.  I guess they are studying the subject next week. Somehow I love this topic. Well, love/hate. Dating and marriage are incredibly frustrating at times (aka....unwanted attention from guys....vespa-riding stalkers..etc.) but it is also so incredibly beautiful at times because it illustrates so much of God's relationship with us, what he desires for us in life, how unfathomable his love is.

I think I will probably come back and write some of the text and comment on it eventually (like tomorrow..) but I will post the link to the video/audio for now. I love it. So true, so challenging, so refreshing.

http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/religionsaves/dating

_in the alpi_

Next city we hit was Trento, which is even more in the middle of the Alps. It was beautiful. It was positioned within a large valley between some very tall mountains, and of course some shorter ones. We actually got to take a gondola up to one of the shorter ones for the steep total of….90 cents. Score. It was actually a commuter gondola for the residents at the top of the hill, so it cost as much as a bus would. The view was amazing. I took a lot of pictures, but pictures cannot quite do it justice I think. Oh yes, we took the most roundabout way ever to get to the gondola. The bus, instead of going down a few blocks to the river and consequently the gondola station, decided to travel around the entire perimeter of the city. We were very confused. But it was absolutely gorgeous at the top. Totally worth it.  

you can see the market in the bottom right corner in front of the church.. 

the large triangular shaped building complexes are the new apartments by Renzo Piano,
and you can also see the gorgeous blue river. so clear.  

After we left the gondola we went back into the city for a lunch break, and we all went to the market! It was amazing! And huge! Yes, markets are probably my favorite part about Italy. And this one was nice because 1) it was mainly clothes, scarves, coats, and other warm things 2) it was really cold 3) we were in the middle of the Alps 4)…in Italy. So, I actually bought a coat! My last big purchase of the trip (my first being boots). But I love the coat. I saw it earlier when we walked through the market quickly, but I didn’t think we would have time to go back through. But I got it! And for 69 euro, which is really not bad, seeing how most of the coats I find are around 90-120. And it has a really gigantic hood. 

Viennese/Italian restaurant and microbrewery
 where we had some good tasty food. 

Other highlights in Trento include the micro-brewery we found, the castle (and the view from the castle)... and of course, sneaking out of touring a church to shop with Emilio. Also, the gelato in Trento was really good. Ah yes, and we got to see a new Renzo Piano project that is being built right outside the city limits - a natural science museum and a huge apartment complex/neighborhood. 

_vai a nord_

Currently: laying in a very comfy bed in a very comfy hotel in Verona. I have found myself to be a very big fan of Verona. It’s a nice size for a 2-day trip, with everything in extremely easy walking distance. It’s an old city, filled with Roman ruins, Medieval streets, and lots of pretty things. It’s clean and primarily brick, cobblestone streets in the busy areas and marble lanes in the fancy pedestrian streets. It’s a rich city, both culturally and financially. Apparently Verona and Vicenza have two of the higher GDP’s in the country/world. Yet I’ve managed to spend only around 10 euro per day here. I have this magically invention called “pack a lunch from breakfast” that works wonders for my budget.

the phones and graffiti near Juliet's balcony

Verona is definitely one of my favorites. I don’t really like the super kitschy tourist-swarmed Verona that happens in the main Piazza Bra’ during the middle of the day, but I’m in love with the Verona  of the early morning hours, it’s backstreets, and gracefully lit hidden areas. That Verona is truly beautiful.

For example, I thought it would be fun to visit Juliet’s balcony (Verona is where ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is set), especially since it was right by where we ate dinner the night before. It was just a simple gated opening off of one of the semi-pedestrian streets. It would be easy to pass by…except for the fact that the entire doorway/entrance to the courtyard is completely covered in graffiti. It’s slightly ridiculous. It’s not your typical graffiti either – it’s all love notes. ‘So-and-so loves  so-and-so’ ‘Mark + Amelia = <3” “I love Lars!” (That last one was my favorite. I’m not sure why. Maybe just because I love the name Lars. ) 

...excessive amounts of graffiti....

the infamous statue of Juliet
and the balcony, of course

Anyway, it was a simple courtyard, ground covered in stones and vines covering the walls. “Casa da Giullietta” is not really authentic, so I am told, but it is set up as a typical Veronese house. The balcony is simple and stone. It’s very picturesque, so it makes sense. Underneath there is the infamous statue of Juliet. One breast and her arm are completely polished smooth and shiny because of the numerous visitors. The tradition is to touch her breast as a sign of good luck and fortune… somehow I can’t get over the weirdness of it….but anyway…  It was definitely a good thing I got there early because there was no one there. Just one Japanese couple came in, took a picture, and left. When the entire group went to the *cough cough* tourist trap later that day, it was PACKED with people, hardly even recognizable. Thank goodness for my early morning walks.

Also on my morning walk I discovered the church of Anastasia – or Chiesa Anaztazia I think is the actual name. I was there around 8:30 or earlier, so no one was around. I wasn’t sure if I needed to pay or not because there was a ticket counter and signs up… but no one there. So I walked in. Little did I know I would normally have to pay, and around 6 Euro at that. The church was beautiful though – painted white with frescoes everywhere. They weren’t the typical frescoes though – these were mostly floral and bright, almost like they were slightly Scandinavian or something. The church was so bright inside though! Definitely a Romanesque church…yet it was so filled with light. I was shocked – no lights on, and the entire building was illuminated. Perhaps that is just the power of white. Regardless, I was really please I got to see it with early morning light….free….and empty. Later in the same day, or perhaps it was the next? I don’t remember… 

Kateri, Tyler and I went to the church after dinner because we could see a couple people walk inside, though 9:30 seemed much too late. We heard music coming from inside and were instantly disappointed that there was a mass and we would not be able to enter and take pictures. We entered, and were completely confused by the abundance of people and the lack of any clergy…whatsoever. Well, it was an organ concert! We had stumbled into a free organ concert – there were only 4 and this happened to be the correct day at the correct church in the correct city. Score. We always seem to stumble upon the best things.

piazza under the tower in Verona. Dante is in the center, pondering intensely.
(if you click on any of these pictures you can see it in full size)  

After St. Anaztazia comes the river, of course, which was beautiful. Behind it was the Roman amphitheater and a gorgeous hill filled with more old pretty buildings. I love water. I love the way light shines off water in the morning, I love its speed, power, and yet its tranquility. And the water was a very pretty blue. Not like the lovely dark bluish brown you find in rivers in the States. I never did get to go to the Roman theater across the river, but maybe some other day. 

panorama of the river where near the church of Anastasia

_memories in cheesy video form!_

Our professor made a video of our workshop. That's how techie our school is.
http://animoto.com/play/HNvnKQThOm6nz5JYmuStNA?autostart=true

_last day_

Well, it's my last day at the Politecnico in Torino. I'm really sad to leave. I'm excited to travel to Milano, Venice, etc, but I’m really sad to leave! Torino has been my home, if only for a month. But that month has been a longer period of time than any other stay here. Rome will be the longest, once we arrive in a week. But Torino has been more of a home because of the people. I was graciously adopted by a group of amazing down-to-earth Italian architecture students, who brought me to festivals, discotecas, their homes, their shops, markets and restaurants. I was shown Torino by the true Turinese. And I was part of a church, if only for a short while. A church that is so colorful and beautiful, so diverse and hospitable. To have so many people from so many different countries worship the same God with eagerness and above all, LOVE, it is truly a magnificent sight. I was given a chance to be included in almost every aspect of daily life within Torino, and for that I am truly grateful.

I love the market here more than any other market – though I need to discover a few in Rome I did not find previously. And I LOVE the parks. I remember really missing the grass and parks while in Rome – coming from Ireland, which was so green, to Rome, which was the heart of the city and rather grey and then back to the green of the parks of Torino. And tomorrow I will be going to the mountains!? I’m sooooo excited about that. I’ve been wanting for a long, long time to make it into the mountains here I’m right by the Alps! I could always see them, but never quite made it there. So perhaps tomorrow. Once again, the Italians are adopting us into their life, their friends, and their country, and bringing us to the mountains to hang out and drink some cioccolato caldo. What a way to say goodbye to the region.

And then we head to new cities, a break from work to travel for a week. And then back to Roma, a city I know, but also one I know will be very changed once I get there. It’s October in Italy, October in Roma. October in Roma is perfect from what I’ve heard – hence, all the tourists will flood the city, all the shops closed for Ferie will be open, all the restaurants that lulled in August will be bustling and loud in the fall, all the norms will have change. Which, for the most part, makes me excited. I love learning new cities. I just wish that didn’t mean I had to leave one I love! Torino, I will miss you. I will most definitely return J

_divertente_

This is entirely random, but I really love this picture for the fun and the ridiculousness of it. A crocheted Smart car. Well, there are a lot of Smart cars here. I highly admire their parking. Someone really creative...with A LOT of time on their hands must have made this. Brilliant, nonetheless.

_di recente_

I haven’t written in a while, mostly due to the fact that I have been busy with work up until my final (today). It went well, though you can almost always hope for a better review than you’ve had. It’s really necessary in an environment and education such as architecture to deal with critique, with criticism, whether good, bad, or indifferent, and whether justified or completely ridiculous. I have received my share of all of the above. It is very easy to evaluate any criticism you receive as unmerited unless it was everything you hoped, to devalue the good critiques of others, and to bask and wallow in any good praise you receive. But I am trying ever so carefully (and often without success) to really “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn.”

But I am definitely happy it’s over (for the most part). It was amazing how much sleep and how little stress there was leading up to the final review. Usually it’s much different. Ah yes, leading up to this weekend. This past weekend was quite..incredible. I feel like I never had a chance to breathe, though I really didn’t mind. I was having too much fun!

Friday: Crazy night of dancing, laughing, more dancing, and many, many strobe lights. It was the epic ‘Cherry Cherry Boom Boom’ party at the Jam Club with the entire architecture class, faculty..and all the other random people that happened to stop by.  A Lady GaGa –themed party in Italy. Yep, only slightly ridiculous. People…drank a lot. Danced a lot. As far as I know everyone had fun and was safe. There were some crazy happenings and some funny pictures. I only got creeped on by one guy, and Kateri and Alex were amazing friends and helped me avoid him. Thanks guys J Oh, and there was a guy (an Italian) with a University of Minnesota shirt on. So amazing.

Saturday…well, sleep in the morning. When you stay up late on a Friday night, even if you don’t drink at all, it’s necessary to sleep some. Saturday afternoon I went to the market in Torino at Porta Palazzo, which has to be one of my favorite markets/places in all of Torino. It’s so beautiful, colorful, chaotic, and generally amazing. There is sooooo much food there. So many different varieties. I will miss it so terribly when I go back to the US. It’s amazing having a continuous growing season. I love that everyone is yelling prices and calling out to you to buy whatever they have to sell. It’s pretty intimidating when you first arrive, But as soon as I’ve made my first purchase of produce, I LOVE just wandering and smelling and observing. My favorite are the elderly vendors, the ones who have done it so many times, who are there because they love it. It’s their life. The guy who sold me my sundried tomatoes was particularly sweet. Well, he didn’t exactly do anything…..he was just a sweet old Italian man. My favorite so far was the woman I bought my bell peppers from.  Usually the vendors select the produce for you, but she gave me a bucket so I could pick out the ones I wanted. Apparently I guessed almost correctly as far as the weight, because I was only a few grams off. She made the cutest “Oh!” sound, picked up a small tomato from the other side of her stand, placed it on the scale with the peppers, evened out to an even kilo, and asked, “Va bene?” Si!  Of course!!! So, purchases this market visit: Red and Yellow bell peppers, Roma tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, potatoes, pomegranates, onions, …and something else. Ha I don’t remember!

Later that night I went over to David’s house and made dinner for everyone – everyone being four people from church – David and the three Pursell’s. We made risotto and gnocchi…and an apple gallette. So, lots of cooking and baking! But it came out decently. Yay.

Sunday I think I got to go to about 20 minutes of the service before I had to go and meet everyone for rides to the barbeque for lunch. I was not very happy to leave. BUT the barbeque was amazing, so it kind of made up for it. Ah yes, the barbeque. We drove (apparently over an hour?) outside Torino to Marin’s boyfriend, Umberto’s, country house. ..WHICH WAS CRAZY BEAUTIFUL! I couldn’t believe it! We walked in the front gate, only to be greeted by nearly 30 people (more or less) standing around eating cheese and appertivi, standing in the middle of a giant courtyard covered with vines, flowers, and olive trees. And under one of the archways there was a ping pong table. ...So I played ping pong with Italians in an Italian villa. Awesome. The barbeque was equally amazing - with eggplant (melanzana), zucchini (zucchini), ribs (costate), wine (vino..of course), kebabs, steak (bistecca), ..and probably some other things I can't remember. All of it took place in a gorgeous painted dining room with one of the longest dining room tables I've ever seen. ..with shiny plastic yellow silverware. win. Everyone was so kind to us, even though we were really shy and awkward and knew no italian. But the Italians are good at doing that typically I've found!

I actually brought dessert to this event, though I didn't know it was going to be such a huge event.  I expected more like 6 or 7... not 26 or 27. So I made apple muffins. That's about as simple as it gets. And I didn't have internet to look up a normal recipe...so..... I completely made it up off the top of my head. No measurements whatsoever. One more, I wasn't even able to stay to take them out of the oven! I rush baked them before church and had to go before I had absolutely no time at church. So Sarah, my fabulous roommate, graciously helped me out (TWICE!) by taking the mystery muffins out of the oven, and by bringing them to our meeting point with Marina to drive to the barbeque. Thank you Sarah, very very much.

But anyway, I was pretty embarrassed when I came to this glitzy barbeque with the plainest apple muffins I've ever made. They didn't even have a decent color to them. And then the other part of dessert was this huge crazy fancy quadruple layer chocolate mousse cake. Embarrassed.  Surprise! They loved my muffins?! I was shocked. Very pleasantly surprised. I know it's slightly weird to say, but I feel like it was a total God thing. It's easy for me to get down on myself, to devalue myself. But sometimes God surprises me with crazy things - like Italians preferring ultra-simple plain apple muffins to a beautiful chocolate cake. But the day was beautiful, a breath of fresh air.