Italia Day 9: Firenze

Views from the terrace at Francesco's house

Views from the walk down the hill to the bus stop

On Tuesday, after waking up, having breakfast and visiting with Francesco, I went into the center. It's a great walk to the bus stop from the house, on a little private drive through the fields. Once I arrived in the center, I headed to the Uffizi Gallery to negotiate my visit. The Uffizi is the Louvre of Florence, and as such (in the Italian way) it is more disorganized and even more of a pain-in-the-ass to visit than the Louvre. I waited in line for 45 minutes just to make a reservation to come back later to stand in another line to actually get in. It was 1pm when I made the reservation, and the earliest I could get in was 5:30pm. Luckily the Uffizi has longer hours on Tuesdays during the summer.

First views of Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence

While I waited for my appointment at the Uffizi, I hassled around trying to put minutes on my Italian SIM card, which I finally succeeding in doing about two hours later. Then, I visited the Duomo di Firenze, another one of Italy's fantastic cathedrals. I took a free tour of the interior, resolving to come back later to climb to the top of the dome and see the baptistry.

Duomo di Firenze

A bad picture of the amazing dome fresco painted by Giorgio Vasari and Frederico Zuccari

I spent four hours at the Uffizi Gallery. While it is almost as famous and crowded as the Louvre, it is definitely much smaller, so I feel like I was able to see most of the museum in that time. Unfortunately, some rooms were closed, so I missed some things I was interested in. Still, I saw the great collection of Botticelli, the huge array of work from the Florentine masters, and many paintings I recognized from my Art History courses but couldn't remember who they'd been painted by. Again, it is so interesting to see these pieces in real life after studying them, and especially to see the difference between the original and reproductions. When you've just seen one of these masterpieces in person, you can immediately see how none of the postcards or prints can come anywhere close to capturing the true nature of the original.

No pictures inside the Uffizi, but there are some interesting things going on outside

Also, nice views from the balcony of the Uffizi cafe, where I had a snack

Dome of the Duomo in the background

Lots of cute little birds joined me for my snack - they aren't shy!

By the time I finished at the Uffizi, it was already 9:30pm. Francesco told me to wait by the wall along the Arno outside the museum, where he picked me up on his motorbike. Everyone in Italy has a motorbike. They are great for getting around the city, where cars are prohibited in many areas and the streets are very narrow. They also make parking much easier, and of course they are just plain fun! We spent some time winding through the one-way streets trying to make our way to a little outdoor terrace eatery. It was right on the Arno with beautiful night-time views of the river and bridges - a great setting for a meal!  We each got a hamburger, which were so delicious! It had been a really long time since I'd had a hamburger, and these were perfect. Eva and Claudio joined us for a moment, but they soon left to look for a place with aperitivo, which is where a bar will have free food for anyone who buys a drink. Francesco and I spent some time sitting and talked for a long time about many things.

Florence at sunset

After we left the terrace, Francesco took me to a cute little piazza (square), where we met some of his friends. It is the Italian way for everyone to gather in one of the many piazzas, where they hang out, drink and visit. With Franci's friends we walked to Piazza Santa Croce where we sat on the steps and discussed a possible trip to the sea in the coming days. By the time we got home it was 2:30 in the morning. A long, well-spent day.

Stature of Dante outside Santa Croce Cathedral, where he is buried

September 11, (2001/2012)

I just read something that a friend wrote about 9/11, and it made me want to write something about it myself today, on the 11th anniversary of the day. 

When 9/11 happened, I was a senior in high school. I was in post-secondary, so I had some college classes. One of them happened to be a political science course called "Current World Problems” - a class whose topic was terrorism. This class was scheduled and I was signed up for it long before September 11th, back when nobody really talked much about terrorism. It was a strange coincidence. 

I know it’s not going to sound very nice when I say this, but when everything happened on that day, I had a strange feeling that “we” deserved this - not “we” as in ordinary U.S. citizens, but “we” as a nation whose foreign policy has so often been short-sighted, arrogant and brazenly self-serving. Often bringing war or supporting oppressive regimes as it suited our “needs” at the time... participating in clandestine operations in South America and other places... where did the Taliban get the weapons and the training, anyway? Oh, that’s right - it was from us. We trained them, armed them, used them for our purposes, then dumped them to fend for themselves when we were through. I consider myself a pacifist, and don’t believe that the murder of innocent people is every justified, but at the same time I could see why some populations would have good reason to be angry with the United States. 

I am not going to say that these feelings were right or wrong; I don’t know what I would feel if this event happened today instead of 11 years ago. This is simply how I felt at 17 years old, when this stuff was happening. It was a crazy introduction to the "real" world of politics I had at that age. Still very young, I was reading a lot about politics already, and could see that if I had to choose between the two, I would lean toward the Democratic Party. I remember having a debate in Social Studies class in which my group members and I defended our choice of Al Gore for President. A few months later, I watched as Al Gore won the popular vote and should have won an election which was then usurped in a series of shady maneuvers. 

Then 9/11, which in my young, idealistic mind I thought might be a real lesson, a wake-up call to our country about our foreign policy. Maybe all the lives that were lost on September 11 wouldn’t be in vain if we could really look at this stuff: is it a problem that there is a whole section of the world which bitterly hates us? The United States has some great PR people, what are some (non-violent) ways we could start to kind of turn around our reputation in the world? Well, probably invading Iraq wasn’t the best idea. I couldn’t even believe it was happening when we went into Iraq. I was 17 years old, and I could see these two things were not related. I wasn't happy about the invasion of Afghanistan, but at least there was some connection. But Iraq? Why was this happening? I think we are still trying to figure out the true answer to that question.

Later, gearing up for the first presidential election I would actually be able to vote in (2004), I got involved in College Democrats, putting loads of time into campaigning for John Kerry - anything to avoid another four years of George W. Bush! The election that year was extremely close, and involved all sorts of stupid, petty mudslinging. I can't even remember all the ridiculous details anymore. Anyway, the election came down to my state, Ohio, and in the bitter end, George Bush II was re-elected. "Really? Are you serious?", I thought. Four years later, Bush would leave us in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

“Really? Are you serious?” pretty much sums up my reaction to most U.S. Politics, both then and now. Every once in a while, it’s expressing my surprise that something positive actually happened, but 9 times out of 10, it’s the opposite.  Over the past 10 years, it’s gone from bad to worse, especially with the current presidential race and its comedy of lies, and things going on in Ohio at the state and local level. Still, I can’t believe that nothing good will ever happen, so I keep tuning in and keep voting. Right now I might prefer to live in a foreign country where things seem a little saner or at least I can go to the doctor without going broke, but I have faith somehow that insanity will always be checked in the end - sometimes I just wonder how long it will take. 

When I think about 9/11, I think about a scary day and a great tragedy for many families, but I also think about the hope I had that maybe we will start to become more conscious of the way we operate in the world. Right now I am also thinking about 2012, and how some people say that the Mayans didn’t necessarily mean that the world would end in 2012, but that human consciousness would enter a new phase. That will always be my hope, that we as humans are slowly evolving into a better version of ourselves. It’s probably necessary for things to get really ugly so we can see that what we're doing isn't working. 

Someone whose wisdom I trust once told me that “the only thing that causes a person to change is their own pain”- and I believe that’s true for people as a species as well as individuals. Of course, I hope this doesn’t mean that each individual on the planet must experience intolerable pain in his or her life before anything begins to change. Instead, maybe we can achieve this through what Albert Einstein called “widening our circle of compassion”. The word compassion in English comes from Latin, and means, literally “to suffer together with”. As we develop our sense of compassion, the suffering of other living things becomes our own suffering. Feeling the pain of other people and of the planet as our own, we begin to change accordingly. 

"Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison [the optical delusion of self] by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty...We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive."  
- Albert Einstein

I hope we are headed in that direction.

Italia, Day 8: Siena to San Gimignano to Firenze

I had been debating whether I wanted to spend Monday in Siena or try to see another town en route to Florence. On Wilmer's advice, I decided to spend the day in San Gimignano and head to Florence from there. I took an early bus to San Gimignano, a small medieval walled city. It is known as "La Cittá delle Belle Torri" - The City of the Beautiful Towers. There once were 72 tower-houses, of which 14 now stand. You can climb the tallest of the towers, Torre Grossa, which is 54 meters tall and offers great views from the top.

Just to prove I was really there...

I know I keep talking about churches and frescoes, but the frescoes at the Collegiate Church in San Gimignano are really exquisite. They depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments and The Last Judgement. The scenes are painted in bright pastel hues that remind me of fairytale books for children. Of course, there are no pictures allowed, but even postcards of the frescoes didn't do them any justice. I liked them so much that I bought a little booklet with reproductions and descriptions of all the Old and New Testament depictions. Here are a couple pictures I found online:

Creation of Adam

Parting of the Red Sea

San Gimignano, while a great stop in Tuscany and a great example of medieval architecture, is also quite touristy. Every building seems to house a souvenir shop or cafe aimed at visitors. Also, the main squares were filled with tents, tables and booths filled with all types of items for sale. I bought some nice dried fruit for a snack. Later I sat down at one of the cafes and had a Caprese salad - greens with fresh tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella.

I stayed in San Gimignano until evening, then took a bus to a connecting station, where I caught another bus to Firenze (Florence). In a further bout with Italian public transportation, I (surprise!) lost, and ended up missing my stop, then having to take another bus to the square nearest Francesco's house. There, I waited for my new host to pick me up in his car. After Francesco arrived, we drove to his family's house. The house is only about 10 minutes from the city center, but it feels like you are far out in the countryside. The house is on the grounds of a huge old estate, in a building with medieval foundations that was probably one of the servants' quarters. It is on a hill, and the view is so amazing. On another hill opposite there is a huge monastery, which at night is brightly lit and such a beautiful sight. The inside of the house is equally beautiful, very tastefully decorated, and Francesco's parents have very good taste in art. There's also a terrace with more great views. I slept in the loft above Francesco's room in the tower!

Francesco's house would be right behind me in this picture. 

The monastery is on the left - so pretty!

That first night, when I arrived, I met Francesco's dad and mama, his brother Claudio, and Claudio's girlfriend Eva from Holland. Everyone was so nice! Francesco, Claudio, Eva and I all went out to dinner at a really great restaurant where they knew everyone. It had outdoor seating, and delicious food. We had a traditional Tuscan appetizer, fried bread that you spread soft cheese on and top with thinly sliced local ham. That was really good, and we also had another type of cheese with bread and then some excellent pizza. We also had some great conversation, which would continue throughout my stay. Francesco and Claudio are great, and I immediately liked Eva, who is super sweet as well as very pretty and smart. I just realized that my stay at Francesco's was only the second occasion since I left home that I've spent much time with a family (the other being when I showed the Ziskas around Prague). There is something so comforting about a family, even when it's not mine. I went to bed the first night in Florence thoroughly exhausted but happy.

Francesco, Claudio, Eva and I

Italia, Days 6-7: Siena

I arrived in Siena on the morning of August 5 and waited for my host, Wilmer, to pick me up from the train station. Soon, he came rolling up in his white convertible, waving. Wilmer is a young doctor; he is finishing his residency for a specialization in psychiatry in Siena. He is also very social. For four years he was president of the Erasmus program, which I mentioned at the end of my last post. He has also worked as a tour guide, and knows the history and sights of Siena very well. That first morning I threw my backpack in the trunk of the convertible, and we stopped by the grocery so he could buy things for breakfast. After that we went to his apartment, where he made some espresso for me in a cup with the buildings of Siena painted on it. Wilmer is also an artist; while I drank my espresso I looked around at his oil paintings, which hang on the walls of his apartment.

Siena espresso

A few of Wilmer's paintings

The first day in Siena Wilmer and I went to the pool. It was extremely hot, so it was nice to be able to get wet, although I hid from the sun, lying on the grass under some trees and applying lots of sunscreen. I'm sure I got a few looks from other people at the pool, as my butt was bright red from the beach the day before. I talked to Wilmer and got to know him a little better, learning about his family and his interests. I would say that Wilmer is a friendly person, but not someone I would normally hang out with. I think he just has some different ideas about things than I do, maybe. I do know that Wilmer is probably the world's worst driver. He drives way too fast, and in the middle of the road, making one fear for their personal safety. It seems his attitude is that since he is a doctor and a really "cool" guy he can do anything he wants without consequences.

In any event, Wilmer is very good at showing people around Siena. The Palio di Siena is a famous horse race which takes place twice a year in the summer. It has been a tradition in Siena since the Middle Ages. The riders in the Palio represent the contrade, the districts of the city. These districts have existed since the middle ages, although over the years they were consolidated from 59 to only 17 today. The people of Siena identify strongly with their contrada. Each contrada has its own symbol, some of which include Eagle, Caterpillar, Little Owl, Snail, Giraffe, Crested Porcupine and Panther. During the season of the Palio, the different districts have big parties lasting for days. While I was in Siena, The Nicchio (Seashell) contrada was having a huge 10-day party, which Wilmer took me to. As I said, Wilmer used to be very involved in the Erasmus program, and at this time of year Erasmus students from all over Europe come to Siena to study Italian language before their Erasmus year in Italy. Each night while I was there, we met up with a group of recently arrived Erasmus students in the Piazzo del Campo and went together to the Palio party in the Nicchio contrada. There was food and drink, music and lots of people. It was fun to meet the Erasmus students; I talked with girls from Germany, Holland, Poland and Estonia.

See more about the Palio:

http://www.ilpalio.org/palioenglish.htm

Piazza del Campo - Siena's most famous "square" and the location for the Palio races

My second day in Siena was my sight-seeing day. I got up at the crack of noon after being out late the night before, and headed into the center. Riding into the city on the bus, I had seen a store that looked like it had beads and jewelry, so I went back to it. It was a little shop run by a Bangladeshi man, and he had excellent prices. I bought a labradorite ring and a strand of rubies for a song. After the jewelry/bead shop I bought a tourist map and commenced my sight-seeing adventures. I went first to the Duomo di Siena, where I bought the all-inclusive ticket to visit the museum, cathedral, crypt and baptistry. In the museum, you can climb the tower, where there are great views of the city and surrounding region. Tuscany is definitely best seen from a high place; there is nothing to compare to that green and gold quilt spread out over rolling hills for miles and miles into the distance. The interior of the Duomo is quite impressive, and includes the famous pulpit carved by Nicola Pisano. The best part of the whole cathedral, in my opinion, is the Libreria Piccolomini, which houses some amazing illuminated manuscripts. The room itself is covered floor to ceiling with bright and detailed paintings and adornments.

Duomo floor: 

The she-wolf suckling twin brothers Romulus and Remus is an icon both of Rome and Siena.

This motif appears over and over in both cities.

more on this legend: Romulus and Remus

Nicola Pisano's pulpit

Beautiful altars in the baptistry

San Domenico

Piazzo del Campo, Palazzo Comunale

After the Duomo, I visited the Santuario di Santa Caterina and the Basilica de San Domenico, then walked back to Piazza del Campo and had a delicious calzone-type thing for a late lunch. I walked around the city some more, found a pretty hillside with benches and a nice view of the countryside, and rested for a while until it was time to meet up with Wilmer again and go to the contrada party. This was Sunday night and the last day of the 10-day party, so it was really winding down and not as crazy as the night before. I had fun hanging out with the Erasmus girls, and then another horrifying ride home in Wilmer's convertible. There is nothing like flying through the Siena night with a crazy Italian man, wondering whether you might die at any moment...