Wednesday 4 February 2009
One year later...
During the reunion last week, despite the presence of all the most important people, I felt like someone was missing. It was as if Italy had been a person, and without her there things felt slightly off balance. Our friendships moved to a new level, one that demanded a cultural shift. I feel closer to certain people, having spent a considerable time during this trip adjusting to their U.S. persona, and slightly removed from other people, who I find I have less in common with now.
While I miss Italy like crazy and can't wait to go back to the country seeped in history, wine, cheese, cobblestone streets, open piazzas, street cats, pasta and so much more, at the same time that trip has become a chapter in my life. A beautiful one, but one that has closed. I look forward to deepening the friendships that were born there, but I can also accept that some things have come to an end. The Cortona trip was a huge step for me in so many different ways, both as an artist and as a person, and I will forever remember those lazy days spent wandering the Italian streets and enjoying those exciting Tuscan nights.
Right now, however, I'm excited about the future - wondering what life has in store for me and where else I might wander as I continue to grow. The world is calling out to me and my feet are eager to explore and investigate, to discover and delve into the mysteries of the unknown.
Tuesday 22 April 2008
Observations from the steps...
A couple of steps and then down: watching them with a lazy look in his eyes, mocking both us for watching him and the birds for not heeding his dangerous presence. They scurried around, picking at the crumbs of tourists. I'm not sure if they really haven't got a care in the world or if their brain is just too small to comprehend their own meaningless existence. Every time he got closer, they'd suddenly see another crumb farther on and dart after it. They never seemed to see him, yet always managed to keep moving away as a group. His tail swished impatiently, sensing the crowd's losing interest. A couple of people walked away, disappointed in his lack of a kill. The pigeons kept moving: some grabbing at crumbs too big for them and almost choking. "Get them, get them!" We were all encouraging the cat, feeling slightly sorry for this pompous sir. Finally, a couple of quick steps, a flurry of wings, and a leap into the air!
Pride dented, the cat was sprawled back down on the ground. "Never meant to actually catch the dirty things," he seemed to say. "I missed on purpose." An old man shuffled past, giving the cat a sympathetic ruffle on the head.
Celebrating my birthday...Italian style! :)
Most people would say that the best part of their 21st birthday was in the evening. Mine, however, started much, much, much earlier than that. Because of finals, many of my friends were in an awkward situation - celebrate my birthday? or finish their art history paper?? Several, however, were able to clear their schedule just for me. =D =D Eddie, my roommate, actually pulled an all-nighter just so that she'd be able to celebrate properly with me - which meant getting up at 5:45 in the morning. But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. It was in the wee hours of the morning, right before midnight, that the party really began. I was up, finishing my art history paper and writing letters, when some of my friends decided that they needed to usher in my birthday properly. Imagine my surprise when at exactly midnight the crowded common room was plunged into darkness and suddenly everyone was singing happy birthday. I even got a twisted candle that was lit and squeezed into a bottle, along with toast smeared with nutella. Ah, nutella.
After a stolen four hours of sleep, which I hesitate to even mention because Eddie didn't go to bed at all and several other friends pulled two or three all-nighters in a row in an attempt to finish homework, Eddie, Erin, Angela, and I met Enea outside the dorm. We had decided that the only way to perfectly start my birthday was with a breakfast picnic up on top of the mountain, overlooking the sunrise. Eddie was in charge of location, so we followed her a short ways up the road, through a blocked construction area, and up to where the city wall cut through a dewy field. I had some inside knowledge of our destination, so I got to enjoy the looks of complete shock on Angela and Erin's faces when we got to a hole in the wall, slightly larger than a snake's den, and began to climb through. "No really, where're we going?!?" Angela demanded. Eddie and I could barely stop laughing.
The snake hole led into a tunnel (which I believe is one of many old Etruscan caves and tunnels that are scattered throughout the hill), which leads around a corner and to a teeny-tiny doorway. You walk through the doorway and BAM, gorgeous view just waiting for you. We came prepared with a blanket, sandwiches, pastries, and (of course) wine. Because how else do you start off a 21st birthday? Sitting there and sipping wine, I realized that 6am Italia time is actual 12am North Carolina time, so I really was starting out my birthday at the perfect time. Okay...so we ended up sitting on the wrong side of the mountain and we didn't get to see the sun rise, but it too cloudy for that anyway.
Much of the rest of the day was spent preparing for the end-of-semester art show. I got to paint pedestals, move easels, transport artwork, and then finally A NAP. Later, after dinner and a lengthy meeting regarding the shipping of artwork home, Eddie, Erin, and Marsha (roommates) surprised me with a birthday cake. Since I had gotten another candle and round of "happy birthday" at dinner, this was my third "cake" of the day. It was awesome. =D After that, of course, we got all dressed up and went out into town. Which was also a blast. But I'll leave that part to your imagination. ;)
Angela climbing through the hole in the ground...
Little doorway leading out of the tunnel (it was too dark in the tunnel for me to get a picture)...
...and a gorgeous view. :)
Saturday 12 April 2008
Sagra del tulipano
Last Sunday I went to my first Tulip Festival, or Sagra del Tulipano as it’s called here. It was the perfect spring day, sunny and warm. Never having gone to a festival solely dedicated to flowers, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I know – it sounds cheesy and boring. Well it wasn’t. It was awesome.
After walking through the fortress, which spit us back into town, we walked over to the wine and cheese shop where Enea’s mom works. While waiting for our torta al testri to be made (toasted flat bread with chingali and cheese), Eddie and I got to taste different cheeses, with a running commentary on how old each was and how many years it had been buried under ground. One type of cheese, called formaggio di vino is steeped in wine and has an especially sharp kick to it. We also got to taste different types of chingali, wild boar. This meat is everyyyywhere in Italy and I haven’t been to a town yet whose cheese and meat stores don’t sport a wild boar head next to the door. Sometimes these boar heads even wear a pair of sunglasses. Not sure why, but there you go.
At about two o’clock the festivities kicked up a notch and non-stop parades, marching bands, and Italian folk dancers began to perform all over the city, often interrupting each other. We’d be watching dancers in one piazza when a marching band would come through, completely dispersing the dancers. It was rather funny. A very good example of Italian organization…or lack of it. We ran into a bunch of our classmates and after wandering around together for a bit, made a beeline for the gelatoria. Later Enea, Eddie and I (I feel like my name should start with “E” whenever I hang around those two. Maybe I’ll start going by my middle name, lol) ended up in a small park outside the castle walls and overlooking the lake. It’s an awesome little hide-a-way, made up of old, old olive trees, lots of grass, gravel pathways, and very convenient benches.
Noi abbiamo dormito in un parco.
We took a nap in the park.
It was the perfect ending to a perfect day. =D
Tulipano
un castello
Goofing around with Eddie on top of the castle walls
In recent news...
Monday 7 April 2008
Va bene
Things that make me happy:
1. Gummy Bears - there is no better treat.
2. Owls - they are practically a national symbol in Italy. This has to do with many strange and wonderful things, the result of which is that owls are good luck around here. One is called a gufo and a peck of 'em are called goofi. how can you get any better then that???
3. Time differences really make life interesting. Can you ever say that you've stayed up till 3:30 in the morning waiting to see a basketball game that you wouldn't care about otherwise???
4. Paper. I love buying huge rolls of important looking and yummy smelling paper. Even more than that, I love the importance of walking around town holding this impressive roll of paper. Everyone who sees me wishes that THEY were holding something as impressive and important and it is quite the delightful experience knowing everyone is jealous of the importance that this paper is bringing you.
5. A delicious and incredibly inexpensive lunch. Aka: my panino was most scrumptulicious, even though all it had on it were pomodori, formaggio, olio d'olivia, and aceto (vinegar).
Ahhh...va bene. =D
il mio posto favorito
“Are you a student here?” they’ll holler. When I answer with the affirmative, they'll proceed to ask a couple of question or comment on how beautiful the day is (which is why I’m perched halfway out the building in the first place). Finally, they'll always conclude with a caution not to fall. Silly Americans...the only ones who actually worry about falling out of windows. Italians are intelligent enough to realize that danger is the spice of life, which is why all public monuments and buildings have high windows with no kind of safety netting or screening. I LOVE IT. =D
It's interesting to note how many people have managed to notice the prominent sign on the school (different building than the dorm and about fifty feet or so farther down the hill) indicating that this is University of Georgia Study Abroad property. There are many tourists who have wrongly deduced that this is either a hotel or a hostel and some even try getting rooms here. I’m sorry, but I’m not willing to share my beautiful castle with you. Please leave.
Finally, the best part of window sill sitting, of course, is the lopsided but completely cool tan which one acquires.