Short visit equals short post....that's our logic anyway. So you won't need to be tortured by endless ramblings about things you don't really care about. Sound good? We think so.
Soooo Venice, ay? Pretty canals, thunderstorms, bridges, flooding, movie-making, Vivaldi, music, masks and glass.
Ok, the end...
...just kidding.
I was a bit naive arriving in Venice as all my knowledge of the city had come from my cassette tape, Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery, which I played ad nauseam as a child. Needless to say, Venice was even grander than I had imagined. It is so beautiful - God, can I think of no word more original or more fitting to describe this great city? I fear I am unfit to express its loveliness in words and, therefore, will not even attempt it. Suffice it to say that the canals, the architecture and the gold ornamentation all dazzle the eye.
The concert - Shannon and I splurged (I kind of dragged her...sorry Shanaenae) on a classical music concert. The recital consisted of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, a Paganini cello piece, and Bach's Concerto in E Major. Crazily enough, the Four Seasons were the least awe-inspiring as the violinists simply did not bring their A-game. They did not appear to buy into the music themselves, and thus did not sell it to the audience. Rather, they looked a bit bored, as if they could care less and played notes rather than music. As if to compensate for his colleagues, the cellist showed so much emotion that he appeared to be having a perpetual seizure throughout the concert. It was both amusing and disturbing. Funnily enough, this worked when he played the Paganini as it allowed him to tell a story instead of merely focusing on the excruciating technical difficulty of the piece. Instead of gritting his teeth and going for every note, the audience was kept in continuous fits of laughter from his cheeky and capricious interpretation.
So this was my third visit to Venice...and the first time I had ever experienced such a rainstorm. Note to future visitors to Venice: don't go in the spring unless you want to be fearing for your luggage within your hotel room do to flooding. However, we still saw all the major sites: we did a tour of the Doge's Palace which includes walking across the Bridge of Sighs (cue sighs), went into San Marco, and bought far too many glass items on the Rialto Bridge. Luckily, we did have some nice weather in the morning of the day we left, so we were able to sit on the canal and enjoy some sun before heading back to London. It had to be enough as our plans for Athens and Santorini were thwarted. However, we have been having a ton of fun back in London, especially as it feels like home! We are staying with my mom's friends, Alison and Rick and they have been absolutely lovely hosts.
And so ends our European adventures. We are not quite done with London luckily and we will savor our remaining days. I will be here this summer for an internship and if you all are very very lucky and beg me enough, I will continue to write about that experience. I like chocolate.
Shannon and Lauren
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Florence
Special shout out to our mothers!!!! Happy Mother's Day to my mom and sisters and Shannon's mom and grandmas!!!!!! We love you guys and wish we could be there celebrating with you today.
Hooray! I get to go first! I have decided that I like Florence better than Rome. Perhaps it is because I don't remember much from the last time I was here so it feels like I'm experiencing everything for the first time. Or perhaps it is because it is a smaller, less confusing city than Rome with its crazy side roads that may or may not appear on the map. Or maybe it is because that I got some good food, good company, and good art. The good food was because of the fantastic company of Lauren's aunt and grandpa who were also in Florence as part of their 2 week excursion around Italy. Let's just say they are travelling in more style than we poor college students. Luckily, they were kind enough to include me in their mini family reunion and we had some fantastic dinners with even more amazing desserts. Not that we had been living on only pizza and gelato before.... They also let us accompany their tour group to the Uffizi Gallery which has some of my favorite paintings. Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera of course, but most importantly, Titian's Venus of Urbino. I can't really explain why I love this painting so much, so Google it and perhaps you can explain it to me. Perhaps it is because I find her look even more mysterious than the Mona Lisa's.
The first thing I did upon arriving in our small, cute and mosquito-ridden hostel was to throw open the window and shout in a dismayed manner to no one in particular "But, Charlotte, I thought we were to have a room with a view!" For those of you who do not understand this reference, please read A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. It is fantastic, and you will spend the rest of your life wishing to wander around the poppy strewn fields of Florence looking for your George Emerson.
Anyhow, a few kajillion mosquito bites later, Shannon and I met up with my aunt and grandfather at the Duomo. Prior to meeting them, we had explored the interior of this church while paying special attention to Brunelleschi's magnificent dome. Once outside, we saw them, and it was wonderful! Having not seen them in four months (which has felt like a lifetime) it was a wonderful reunion. Not only was I able to catch up on all the latest family gossip (just kidding, Webers!) but Shannon and I were treated to luscious lunches and delectable dinners. My favourite meal was most likely the one we had at Quatro Leoni at my mother and brother's suggestion. My meal was an interesting amalgamation of flavours consisting of pasta stuffed with cream cheese and pears and a sauce of asparagus and cream. It was different, but absolutely scrumptous. Substantially stuffed after this, I somehow managed to eat a large piece of pear and chocolate cake. It was FANTASTIC!
My fantastic family also let us accompany them on tours such as the Ufizzi (as Shannon mentioned) and Santa Croce church...which incidently plays a prominent role in A Room with a View. Laura and Grandpa also got us tickets to the Academy to see David. What a hottie petatie! You'd never think a sculpture could be so smokin', but he is. I think it's the forearms. They're all muscular and vein-y, but not in a nasty way like he does Tai-Bo twenty hours a day and has steroids for lunch. Despite David's charms, my favourite exhibit at the Academy had to be the musical instruments donated from the Conservatory of Florence. There was a Stradivarius violin and cello!!!! They were absolutely gorgeous and I was able to hear the sound they produce on a listening device the museum provided. Obviously it didn't compare to what it would have sounded like live....for that reason, and of course, simply wanting to touch genius, I had the strongest desire to break open the glass surrounding the violin with my own brute strength, and play it. Wouldn't that have been amazing? Gosh, gosh, gosh, it was a thing of beauty and I don't think I've wanted anything so badly as I wanted that instrument.
Anywho, Shannon and I had parted ways at the music exhibit, so after I explored it, I went on another church crawl and exploration of Florence on my own. It was a bustling, sunny, warm day, and a lovely morning for a stroll.
As Lauren said, we had our separate adventures today as I, for some strange reason, did not share her desire to go to Mass. Instead, I went to see more art. Surprise surprise. I can just see my mom reading this and laughing because I sound just like her with my raving reviews of all this fabulous art I've seen. So, I saw some more. I went to the Pitti Palace which was the home of the Medici Family when they were the rulers in Florence....which was for a long time. They collected a lot of art in that time, and the very last family member, before she died, legally tied all of the art together and gave it to the city of Florence where it must always remain. I was surprised to find that they had a painting that I like very much, Ruben's The Consequences of War. I also went in very fancy rooms that had been used by the Medici's and still had their grand furnishings.
Sadly enough, our next stop (Venice) will be our last stop as our trip is being cut short by the riots going on in Athens. We decided to play it safe and not go when it is so turbulent there. So we are heading back to London on Wednesday...oh darn. Another week in London. How will we ever bear it?
Andiamo a Venzia!
Shannon and Lauren
Hooray! I get to go first! I have decided that I like Florence better than Rome. Perhaps it is because I don't remember much from the last time I was here so it feels like I'm experiencing everything for the first time. Or perhaps it is because it is a smaller, less confusing city than Rome with its crazy side roads that may or may not appear on the map. Or maybe it is because that I got some good food, good company, and good art. The good food was because of the fantastic company of Lauren's aunt and grandpa who were also in Florence as part of their 2 week excursion around Italy. Let's just say they are travelling in more style than we poor college students. Luckily, they were kind enough to include me in their mini family reunion and we had some fantastic dinners with even more amazing desserts. Not that we had been living on only pizza and gelato before.... They also let us accompany their tour group to the Uffizi Gallery which has some of my favorite paintings. Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera of course, but most importantly, Titian's Venus of Urbino. I can't really explain why I love this painting so much, so Google it and perhaps you can explain it to me. Perhaps it is because I find her look even more mysterious than the Mona Lisa's.
The first thing I did upon arriving in our small, cute and mosquito-ridden hostel was to throw open the window and shout in a dismayed manner to no one in particular "But, Charlotte, I thought we were to have a room with a view!" For those of you who do not understand this reference, please read A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. It is fantastic, and you will spend the rest of your life wishing to wander around the poppy strewn fields of Florence looking for your George Emerson.
Anyhow, a few kajillion mosquito bites later, Shannon and I met up with my aunt and grandfather at the Duomo. Prior to meeting them, we had explored the interior of this church while paying special attention to Brunelleschi's magnificent dome. Once outside, we saw them, and it was wonderful! Having not seen them in four months (which has felt like a lifetime) it was a wonderful reunion. Not only was I able to catch up on all the latest family gossip (just kidding, Webers!) but Shannon and I were treated to luscious lunches and delectable dinners. My favourite meal was most likely the one we had at Quatro Leoni at my mother and brother's suggestion. My meal was an interesting amalgamation of flavours consisting of pasta stuffed with cream cheese and pears and a sauce of asparagus and cream. It was different, but absolutely scrumptous. Substantially stuffed after this, I somehow managed to eat a large piece of pear and chocolate cake. It was FANTASTIC!
My fantastic family also let us accompany them on tours such as the Ufizzi (as Shannon mentioned) and Santa Croce church...which incidently plays a prominent role in A Room with a View. Laura and Grandpa also got us tickets to the Academy to see David. What a hottie petatie! You'd never think a sculpture could be so smokin', but he is. I think it's the forearms. They're all muscular and vein-y, but not in a nasty way like he does Tai-Bo twenty hours a day and has steroids for lunch. Despite David's charms, my favourite exhibit at the Academy had to be the musical instruments donated from the Conservatory of Florence. There was a Stradivarius violin and cello!!!! They were absolutely gorgeous and I was able to hear the sound they produce on a listening device the museum provided. Obviously it didn't compare to what it would have sounded like live....for that reason, and of course, simply wanting to touch genius, I had the strongest desire to break open the glass surrounding the violin with my own brute strength, and play it. Wouldn't that have been amazing? Gosh, gosh, gosh, it was a thing of beauty and I don't think I've wanted anything so badly as I wanted that instrument.
Anywho, Shannon and I had parted ways at the music exhibit, so after I explored it, I went on another church crawl and exploration of Florence on my own. It was a bustling, sunny, warm day, and a lovely morning for a stroll.
As Lauren said, we had our separate adventures today as I, for some strange reason, did not share her desire to go to Mass. Instead, I went to see more art. Surprise surprise. I can just see my mom reading this and laughing because I sound just like her with my raving reviews of all this fabulous art I've seen. So, I saw some more. I went to the Pitti Palace which was the home of the Medici Family when they were the rulers in Florence....which was for a long time. They collected a lot of art in that time, and the very last family member, before she died, legally tied all of the art together and gave it to the city of Florence where it must always remain. I was surprised to find that they had a painting that I like very much, Ruben's The Consequences of War. I also went in very fancy rooms that had been used by the Medici's and still had their grand furnishings.
Sadly enough, our next stop (Venice) will be our last stop as our trip is being cut short by the riots going on in Athens. We decided to play it safe and not go when it is so turbulent there. So we are heading back to London on Wednesday...oh darn. Another week in London. How will we ever bear it?
Andiamo a Venzia!
Shannon and Lauren
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
ROMA by Lauren with commentary by Shannon
Ah, Roma! Dean Martin had it right when he said "That's amore". It's quite easy to fall in love with the beautiful sights, smells and tastes of Italy.
The first day, Shannon and I explored the Vatican after waiting in a line for two and a half hours. It was well worth the wait. Although I didn't bump into the Pope, I was able to walk around this massive structure and enjoy paintings by Raffael and Michelangelo...in other words, two out of the four ninja turtles. While the Sistine Chapel was perfectly lovely, the hoards of people and the ensuing bottleneck provided a rather uncomfortable atmosphere. In contrast, the Basilica of St. Peter was absolutely marvelous. Of all the churches, this was obviously the most impressive with its large dome and magnificent frescoes. However, my favourite place of worship (of all 900 we visited) was a small chiesa that fulfilled the three necessary components to my definition of a perfect church. First of all, it smelled of a combination of incense and old, musty wood. Secondly, it was a visual masterpiece with frescoes and sculptures dotting the walls and ceilings. Thirdly, it was quiet and allowed a person to think and enjoy the peaceful retreat from the chaos of the city. I always find comfort in entering churches such as this...they immediately provide a sense of calm and serenity. Furthermore, this church allowed people to wander everywhere - including down a winding stone staircase into the crypt. Shannon did not care to join me in this endeavor, and so I went alone. It was completely creepy and quite frightening, but also, meh, I hate this word but I'm going to use it anyway, cool. Dimly lit, it consisted of a large stone room with an altar to one side and a corridor leading off to the right, where two, partially open wooden doors were present. I did not go behind these doors...call me superstitious, but I was pretty sure that no good could come of it.
I also enjoyed all the churches and I have to say that I probably sat in more pews in the last three days than I have in my entire life....or since I was last in Italy. Let's just say my religious views are not the same as Lauren's. Therefore, I appreciated the plethora of churches for different reasons. First, one of my favorite sculptures ever is in St. Peter's Basilica. It is Michaelanglo's sculpture of Mary holding her dead son across her lap and looking at him in a way that is both devastating but proud. I fell in love with this statue the first time I was in Italy, when I was 7, so needless to say its powerful display of devotion has stuck, even in the mind of a dedicated atheist. I admired all the smaller churches, too, noticing how each one was unique in its design, art, and atmosphere. Some of the sculpture and the frescos were truly amazing.
The time has come for the description of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. They rocked, ok? Like literally, since they were built in the Days of Yore from stones. AHAHAHAHAA!!! Lauren made a funny! (You can't see it, but I'm rolling my eyes.) But seriously, way COOL. The part I loved best, however, was the garden connecting the two. Poor Shannon, I told her I'd be back in a minute, but the meadows, the copses and the gardens enthralled me and held me captive. (Quick side note, I'd already been in said gardens and knew that she was going to go in and never want to come out and that when she finally did come out, she'd be raving about how it reminded her of the Secret Garden and how she wanted to live there forever. So I found a cozy rock and waited.....) It was green, and odiferous (in a good way) and shady. Additionally, there were a few houses dotting the landscape that looked so rustic that I pranced with glee. You know the kind, shutters and flower boxes and whatnot.
The Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps were our go-to at night as we sat in one of the two locations and watched the sun set while eating our third cone of gelato that day. LOVELY LOVELY! Does it get any better? Methinks not. I've discovered that my favorite gelato remains Stracchiatella (chocolate chip) which was the only kind I would eat when I was 7....
PIZZA! I had not tasted pizza before Italy. The way they do the sauce...the spices...I can't put my finger on it, but it is luscious and delectable. Needless to say, much pizza has been consumed. Pizza and gelato every day. We are healthy eaters over here. And thank goodness that our next stop is Florence (hence, still in Italy) so we may continue to chow down on pizza and gelato. Because we aren't quite ready to stop eating them....
Today consisted of the pantheon, the Piazza Novona and a lovely area south of the Vatican that contained lovely parks and fountains. No more detail at present since we have to get going, but (faithful reader) be aware of a funny story coming up that we can't divulge in our present circumstances.
Ciao for now!!!!
Lauren and Shannon
The first day, Shannon and I explored the Vatican after waiting in a line for two and a half hours. It was well worth the wait. Although I didn't bump into the Pope, I was able to walk around this massive structure and enjoy paintings by Raffael and Michelangelo...in other words, two out of the four ninja turtles. While the Sistine Chapel was perfectly lovely, the hoards of people and the ensuing bottleneck provided a rather uncomfortable atmosphere. In contrast, the Basilica of St. Peter was absolutely marvelous. Of all the churches, this was obviously the most impressive with its large dome and magnificent frescoes. However, my favourite place of worship (of all 900 we visited) was a small chiesa that fulfilled the three necessary components to my definition of a perfect church. First of all, it smelled of a combination of incense and old, musty wood. Secondly, it was a visual masterpiece with frescoes and sculptures dotting the walls and ceilings. Thirdly, it was quiet and allowed a person to think and enjoy the peaceful retreat from the chaos of the city. I always find comfort in entering churches such as this...they immediately provide a sense of calm and serenity. Furthermore, this church allowed people to wander everywhere - including down a winding stone staircase into the crypt. Shannon did not care to join me in this endeavor, and so I went alone. It was completely creepy and quite frightening, but also, meh, I hate this word but I'm going to use it anyway, cool. Dimly lit, it consisted of a large stone room with an altar to one side and a corridor leading off to the right, where two, partially open wooden doors were present. I did not go behind these doors...call me superstitious, but I was pretty sure that no good could come of it.
I also enjoyed all the churches and I have to say that I probably sat in more pews in the last three days than I have in my entire life....or since I was last in Italy. Let's just say my religious views are not the same as Lauren's. Therefore, I appreciated the plethora of churches for different reasons. First, one of my favorite sculptures ever is in St. Peter's Basilica. It is Michaelanglo's sculpture of Mary holding her dead son across her lap and looking at him in a way that is both devastating but proud. I fell in love with this statue the first time I was in Italy, when I was 7, so needless to say its powerful display of devotion has stuck, even in the mind of a dedicated atheist. I admired all the smaller churches, too, noticing how each one was unique in its design, art, and atmosphere. Some of the sculpture and the frescos were truly amazing.
The time has come for the description of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. They rocked, ok? Like literally, since they were built in the Days of Yore from stones. AHAHAHAHAA!!! Lauren made a funny! (You can't see it, but I'm rolling my eyes.) But seriously, way COOL. The part I loved best, however, was the garden connecting the two. Poor Shannon, I told her I'd be back in a minute, but the meadows, the copses and the gardens enthralled me and held me captive. (Quick side note, I'd already been in said gardens and knew that she was going to go in and never want to come out and that when she finally did come out, she'd be raving about how it reminded her of the Secret Garden and how she wanted to live there forever. So I found a cozy rock and waited.....) It was green, and odiferous (in a good way) and shady. Additionally, there were a few houses dotting the landscape that looked so rustic that I pranced with glee. You know the kind, shutters and flower boxes and whatnot.
The Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps were our go-to at night as we sat in one of the two locations and watched the sun set while eating our third cone of gelato that day. LOVELY LOVELY! Does it get any better? Methinks not. I've discovered that my favorite gelato remains Stracchiatella (chocolate chip) which was the only kind I would eat when I was 7....
PIZZA! I had not tasted pizza before Italy. The way they do the sauce...the spices...I can't put my finger on it, but it is luscious and delectable. Needless to say, much pizza has been consumed. Pizza and gelato every day. We are healthy eaters over here. And thank goodness that our next stop is Florence (hence, still in Italy) so we may continue to chow down on pizza and gelato. Because we aren't quite ready to stop eating them....
Today consisted of the pantheon, the Piazza Novona and a lovely area south of the Vatican that contained lovely parks and fountains. No more detail at present since we have to get going, but (faithful reader) be aware of a funny story coming up that we can't divulge in our present circumstances.
Ciao for now!!!!
Lauren and Shannon
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Amsterdam (with the same color codings as Paris)
Shannon and I expected a bit of revelry when we reached Amsterdam, but we weren't prepared for the completely crazed manner in which Queen's Day was celebrated. An odor unlike anything we have ever experienced, Queen's Day's unique smell consisted of fair food, urine, beer, and pot. Quite a delectable quartet. As we ventured outside our hotel, we were greeted by great throngs of people all wearing orange (why orange? We have yet to figure that out.) It was like a mixture of the State Fair and Mifflin on steroids. Seriously, the whole city was out and drunk by 10 am. I have never seen nor smelled so much pot in my life. It was truly an experience. After a few hours of this, Shannon and I escaped to the hushed and reverent quiet of Anne Frank's House where we explored the secret attic in which she and her family lived for 2 years. It was a truly touching moment as we walked on the floorboards she had once trod upon and gazed at the posters of film stars with which she had decorated her room. Perhaps the most moving moment was when we came across the markings Otto Frank had made to measure the children's growth. This more than anything made Anne's story real as her physicality was literally brought to life. Also of intrigue were her perfectly preserved diaries as well as an emotional video of Otto as he spoke of reading Anne's diary for the first time. It was absolutely heartbreaking. I can't imagine how that man found the will to live after losing his family and experiencing the brutality of Auschwitz. Thank God he did have the strength to carry on as it is due to him that Anne's house is open to the public and her diaries are published.
Here I am talking about art again. Museum going was much more tempting as it has been rainy and cold. So we also went to the Van Gogh museum. Alas, there was no student discount and after failing to convince the stern ticket lady that Lauren was 17 (and thereby gaining free admission), we heaved over the 14 Euros each and went in. It was a beautiful collection that included many artworks of Van Gogh's influences as well as many of his own paintings. Our favorites were his paintings that had been inspired by Japanese prints, but used his own signature bright colors. Lauren had to drag me from the gift shop.
After the Van Gogh museum, we wandered down to the Red Light District. Surreal would not even begin to cover the phenomenom that is legal prostitution. Women in windows clad in nothing but their underwear beckoned to ogling passersby soliciting their services. After two minutes of this, I felt dirty and needed to leave that area (I was laughing at her the entire time). While sex shoved at me in a blatant manner is not my style, I can't help but support legal prostitution as it creates safer working conditions for the girls.
I am now dragging Lauren to her first ever Hard Rock Cafe experience. See you in Roma!
Lauren and Shannon
Here I am talking about art again. Museum going was much more tempting as it has been rainy and cold. So we also went to the Van Gogh museum. Alas, there was no student discount and after failing to convince the stern ticket lady that Lauren was 17 (and thereby gaining free admission), we heaved over the 14 Euros each and went in. It was a beautiful collection that included many artworks of Van Gogh's influences as well as many of his own paintings. Our favorites were his paintings that had been inspired by Japanese prints, but used his own signature bright colors. Lauren had to drag me from the gift shop.
After the Van Gogh museum, we wandered down to the Red Light District. Surreal would not even begin to cover the phenomenom that is legal prostitution. Women in windows clad in nothing but their underwear beckoned to ogling passersby soliciting their services. After two minutes of this, I felt dirty and needed to leave that area (I was laughing at her the entire time). While sex shoved at me in a blatant manner is not my style, I can't help but support legal prostitution as it creates safer working conditions for the girls.
I am now dragging Lauren to her first ever Hard Rock Cafe experience. See you in Roma!
Lauren and Shannon
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