L'Ultimi Giorni / I Love Grass

Tomorrow I leave for London, and it still hasn't sunk in that I'm leaving Rome. This last week has been a whirlwind....our projects were due last Friday, but our presentations were on Monday, so we ended up doing leftover stuff over the weekend, but also finally sleeping some. Our english friends also hosted a Christmas party....everyone in funny santa hats. Presentations on Moday went very well...I was encouraged to pursue this project as my thesis....my response was, "it already is my thesis." This semester has been a great step forward in figuring out how I might possibly twist this major into something I actually want to do. The rest of the week has been recovery and tying up loose ends. Wednesday night was our final aperitivo with our melting pot group. Thursday we had our show, which means we hung up all of our work to show all of our friends while eating cheese and drinking wine. Thursday morning was also my final market indulgence experience....I went to Testaccio and stopped by my favorite cheese shop for the last time...for awhile at least. After our show, Tom took us out to a fancy dinner and got us all drunk! (just kidding) ;) Today was an amazing day and a great way to go out...Brad and I got up early and went to the Le Terme di Caracalla....ancient roman baths. The ruins are surrounded by park space, and despite the weather forecast we had the most gorgeous day Rome has seen in months. We were the first people there to enjoy the clear sky, crisp air, and deliciously calm quiet. There was REAL grass there....none of that monoculture lawn business, but the stuff with leafy weedy green things and scattered white blossoms, critters, and pine needles; and patches of real mountain dirt showing through....that sweet fresh perfume tempered by an earthy mushroom smell. It was gorgeous. After that I went on a run in Doria Pamphili park, where there was grass evvvverywhere!! I felt suddenly transported to a time when Rome was still wilderness....it was so expansive and pretty I ended up running for more than an hour. Tonight we are going to our friend Daniele's concert, and then I leave bright and early tomorrow morning....can't wait to see everyone at home so soon!

I'll Sleep When I Die :)

Less than 3 weeks left, and so much left to do!  This past weekend we had three extra people staying in our apartment- that equals 6 people staying in a 2 room apartment with one bathroom equals nobody can find their stuff and I don't take a shower for approximately 4 days.  It was fun anyway though- Miriam came from Spain (where she is studying for the year), Elizabeth, who we met at Spannocchia (who happens to have all the same food and yoga interests/obsessions as I do) was visiting until this morning, and Jeff, a friend from Cal Poly studying in Florence for the year had to sleep in the other room on my yoga mat.  On Thursady night (Thanksgiving!) the Penn State students who live on the floor above our studio hosted a huge Thanksgiving dinner- we ate chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, spiced apple sauce, brown-sugar carrots, and tons of wine.  I ate until I was too full to move very much, but it was amazing.  Then the next day, after I spent the whole day working on a giant cardboard model, we went to our TA's (teaching assistant) house for an even bigger dinner: turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, roasted veggies, cornbread and sausage stuffing, pork roast...and then lots of desserts....at that point I was already beyond full but I managed to eat a plate of vanilla, chocolate, and coffee gelato with apple crisp.  

This weekend I also went to the Vatican museums with Miriam and Elizabeth, which was a little disappointing and way too crowded...I felt a bit like a gullible sheep-tourist, but the famous staircase (see picture) was very neat....I like this picture because I feel a bit like I'm sliding down a spiral like this questi ultimi giorni (these last days in Rome).  On Saturday we also had an aperitivo with our melting pot group, most of whom we hadn't seen in awhile.  I bought a 6 euro glass of wine and then ate as much salad and bruschetta, small pizzas, panini, etc as I wanted!

This week I've been hard at work trying to finish the many studio assignments we've accumulated.  Today I met Alex (our French friend who works at the embassy) for panini (sandwiches), canoli, and coffee in Campo dei Fiori, and he showed me this small hidden housing courtyard nearby, where you suddenly feel as though you've been teleported to a small italian village.  The entrance is small and inconspicuous and right along the busy street, but as soon as we walked in, we were blanketed with calm quiet, and greeted by brightly colored housing facades covered in foliage and two cats lounging under parked bicycles.  I'm going to work on figuring out how I will live there one day ;)  For now it is back to work and trying to experience as much of Rome as possible before I leave....too bad sleeping isn't part of this equation.  This weekend we are going ice-skating with our italian friends....I can't wait!

Trip North

So the internet is being cooperative for once, so here are some pics from the veneto!  On Tuesday we took a train to Firenze (Florence), where Tom gave us a Brunelleschi tour (a Florentine Renaissance architect).  For lunch we visited the Cal Poly group at their apartment.  Then we crammed ourselves into the rental car and headed towards Venice.  After our last car ride listening to Italian radio, we decided it was crucial that we bring our own music, so we each created a mix designed to capture our personalities musically.  Even Tom made one!  We made a few stops on the way before arriving in Verona...which you probably know as the site of Romeo and Juliet's tragic romance.  Somebody quite brilliantly decided to capitalize on this fact by declaring some random house the 'actual' house of Juliet....tourists will believe anything you tell them.  The funniest part is Tom had to take us there because that's where they sell the package deal for the monuments and museums...we gave him a hard time about it.  Verona is beautiful though.  Verona is texture: there is a richness and organic layering of materials unlike any place I've seen yet.  In the morning we climbed the bell tower in Piazza Erbe and got fantastic views of the whole area.  My favorite part was probably the Castelvecchio (see picture), a medieval military fortress that was restored and turned into a museum by the Italian architect Carlo Scarpa.  I truly gained a new appreciation for the construction detail....all of the elements Scarpa adds literally inhabit the existing building, communicating their relationship to it explicitly, performing their designated function as well as enhancing the expression of the existing conditions.  The floor, wall and ceiling surfaces never meet each other; displays are cleverly logged in fireplace openings; picture frames are oriented perpendicular to the wall, anchored to floor, ceiling and wall, directing circulation as well as displaying the framing.  My favorite is what I call the 'inhabiting inhabitable bridge' because it spans between two parallel walls, creating a hallway where artifacts are displayed.  The other amazing thing in Verona was the Teatro Romano, an ancient theater built into the hill.  Pieces of ruins are displayed in a haphazard way, mingling with the overgrown vegetation.  The museum is at the top of the hill, where we got more panoramic views of the city.  That night Karen and I had an amazing dinner: she had red wine risotto and I had rabbit with polenta!

The next day we headed for Venezia (see picture) (Venice), making a few stops along the way.  The best was Scarpa's Brion cemetery (see picture), which was commissioned by the Brion family as their own personal cemetery, but also as a park intended for public use (see picture).  We got to indulge ourselves with more sexy Scarpa details...there were several gates and operable openings with the most gracefully elegant mechanics you could ever imagine a door having.

Our other stop was at the Nardini Distillery building by Massimo Fuksas.  You must google it...it is this pair of giant glass bubble-bug-looking things.  Inside they have fancy equipment to test their grappa (the Nardini family has made grappa in this region for generations) and a theater with seats that mechanically open and close in unison.  They boast a zero carbon footprint, but that doesn't account for the still-strong resin fumes (practically half of the interior is made from some kind of resin) and the sickly blue pallor the floor and glass cast upon visitors' faces.  We sampled several types of grappa, which everyone but me seemed to like...I think I'll stick to wine.

We finally arrived in Venezia Thursday night.  After checking into our hotel we went on a long journey by foot in search of Tom's favorite Indian restaurant.  It was far away from the hotel to begin with, and we went at least twice the distance weaving and backtracking through the impossibly narrow and weblike streets.  There is no such thing as a car in the historical part of Venice.  We chose to eat indian food, because anything italian in Venice is overrun by tourism...we had a more authentic experience eating bona fide Indian food.  

On Friday morning, Tom gave us a lecture-tour of the important sites (mostly churches) and then we headed to the Biennale, an international architecture exhibition that happens every two years in Venice.  On Friday we went to the 'Giardini' (which means gardens) portion, which is organized by countries, each with its own pavilion.  The theme this year was 'beyond architecture,' so there was some pretty artsy, fanciful things, but there were lots of interesting and compelling exhibits...the best ones were interactive....and the most ridiculous ones were intended to be interactive but were covered in signs saying "do not touch."  My favorite one had the entire pavilion covered ankle deep in confetti, with signs everywhere saying: 'it is forbidden to throw confetti.'  I'm pretty sure everyone that went in there secretly threw a little bit of confetti in the back room.

Saturday was an amazing day- I went to the market (see picture) first thing, which the most therapeutic experience I've had in awhile.  The produce was brighter, cheaper, and more varied than what we have in Rome, and the fish market was incredible.  I took a million pictures of ooey-gooey sea creatures.  I explored around a little more before making my way to the other section of the Biennale: 'Arsenale.'  These exhibits were organized by firm, and many of them were quite witty.  We caught a late afternoon train back to Rome, and now it's back to work again!  Today I went to a new market I haven't been to yet farther from home, and discovered that the produce is fresher and more varied, so I had yet another therapeutic shopping experience!

1.  The Grand Canal in Venezia under the last rays of sunshine.

2.  The market in Venezia looking out toward the Grand Canal.

3. Brion Cemetery

4.  Castelvecchio

I Love Markets

Veneto Here We Come

This weekend was filled with work and play:  Friday we went to our friend's concert on a little boat party on the river.  We got to see a lot of friends we hadn't seen in awhile because we've been so busy, and the group of Cal Poly kids that are studying in Florence were also in town for class.  We met up with them also on Saturday night to show them the sights.  On Saturday I went on my own adventure to Trajan's markets, and ancient Roman shopping complex.  It is a true palimpsest: it has been built upon and around, partially excavated, partially demolished, and finally recently more fully excavated.  It is one of my favorite things I've seen in Rome...I can almost imagine buying olive oil and fresh produce from slightly impatient but amiable vendors....not too different from what I do at Campo dei Fiore everyday, except with a different backdrop.  See pics above.

Tomorrow we are leaving for a trip to the Veneto region, most of which we will be spending in Venezia (Venice), so don't worry of you don't hear from me until Sunday.  Today I bought rain boots and lots of warm socks to go in them, so I'm ready to jump in some puddles!  

Two Weeks of Unrest

The first week after we got back from Paris, we had a lot of studio work to do, so I barely slept, but I've been having a lot of fun developing my project, which is an urban farming center.  The picture below is my model...it's so cute... it looks bigger than it is, those trees are about half the size of a marble.  We had our presentations on Monday, and for the rest of the quarter we will be developing a smaller portion of our project in detail.  Our friend Mike who studies in Paris, also came to visit.

Since we've been back there have also been protests in Rome.  There is a new prime minister (Berlusconi) and there have been budget cuts for the education system.  Today we went with our friend who works at the French embassy to the protest.  We walked in rows arm in arm with a huge group of students from La Sapienza, the Italian University that our program is affiliated with.  Apparently there were around 300,000 students protesting.  The march started at the main train station and ended at the ministry in the center.  There were groups of students from around Italy all arriving to the station and self-organizing into groups.  There was a general aura of excitement, with everyone sporadically breaking out in song from time to time.  This kind of occurrence is rare in Rome, and we got to observe and interact with the youth of Italy in a meaningful way.  Soon I will post a picture from the protest, as well as a picture of Karen's cappuccino the day after election day: it says Obama '09 in foam!

Tuscan Autumn

We spent the past two days driving across the Tuscan landscape....we started in Firenze where we rented a car.  We spent a few hours exploring there...one of the most interesting things was the Ponte Vecchi (Old Bridge).  It is the oldest surviving bridge and has shops that have organically sprouted off of it, like colorful little barnacles clinging to it's sides.  The entire length of it is occupied with jewelry stores, as it has been since 1593!  I also followed my senses to find the local market, which had the most fantastic displays of meat I have ever seen.  I bought mzarella di bufala and grapes.

We left Firenze for Spannocchia, an argritourism farm, where they grow as much of their own food as possible, and stay afloat by a tourism based on education of sustainable agriculture.  Their particular approach is to protect several of the local endangered species, including a pig called cinta senese, as well as a species of cow and sheep.  I got to ask the director a million questions about the farm on our tour that evening.  That night we had a family style dinner with other guests and the interns, many of which were coincidentally from California.  Later that night we went to the Halloween party put on the internships.  In the spirit of supporting their efforts (and yes, because I love food), I bought some of their proscuitto, red wine, farro, and honey, as well as a recipe book.

The next morning, after going on a beautiful foggy hike around the farm, we headed for Siena.  On the way we stopped at an old monastery called    .  The roof is completely gone, so it was interesting to experience the church prototype in this new way.  In Siena we spent most of our limited time in the Piazza del Campo, hands down the most monumental public space I've ever been to.  Siena is such a fun town to explore- it is a perfect example of medieval organic development.  (SEE PICTURE)  All of the streets curve and wind, but with the Piazza as their anchor, it is surprising difficult to get lost.  Here I bought panforte, a sweet bread which is a local specialty.

On the drive back to Rome, we stopped by Pienza, a small little medieval town with gorgeous panoramic views of the rolling hills of Tuscany.  We also stopped by Montepulciano, renowned for it's wine, which we sampled in a cheese and wine shop.  Right around this time the sun was setting, staining the sky orange and shading the clouds purple.  When we got home, the 5 of us had dinner together, sampling the proscuitto and pecorino purchases of the day.  Today, it is back to work!

Paris, je t'aime

I am in love, really.  Paris is amazing.  Karen and I got to Paris on Thursday afternoon, and used the fantastic, incredibly intriguing, albeit grimy metro system to get to our friend Mike's apartment (see picture of view from the window!!).  That night we tagged along with Mike on his job- he's a tour guide for a pub crawl.  The next few days consisted of exploring Paris, usually guided by Mike, who speaks fairly good French.  We were planning on leaving on a Sunday night train to get back for class on Monday, but Paris had other plans for us, because all the trains were booked until Tuesday night.  I may be paying the price for it now, but who is going to complain about 2 extra days in Paris???  Here are some of the highlights and the reasons why I'm finding my way back to Paris somehow.....

In Rome, cars and people battle for the right of way in narrow winding streets intended for pedestrians alone.  In Barcelona, people walk alongside cars on their narrow strip of designated sidewalk, and cars reign supreme.  In Paris, people have their own streets to walk on, with a wall of greenery between them and the cars.  The city is still dense, but feels as though it has been stretched open so that air and people can flow about. PIC

Notre Dame:  We happened to walk in at night mass, which was an experience to behold.  Right away I am received by the ethereally floral, yet earthy smoky smell of incense.  My other senses are engaged in equally sensual yet immaterial ways: In the stony cold, hazy darkness candles burn in a warming glow of flickering orange, and light takes on a physical presence.  The powerful ring or organs occupies so much space it invades my body, and the ephemeral chanting of the priest floats into the vast depth of the ceiling, reverberating back down with a haunting profundity.

I'll write more about the following when I'm less sleep deprived (also more pics if I can get the internet to cooperate):

The Louvre

Pomidou

Tulleries, axis

Tomorrow we are headed to Tuscany to visit Siena and Firenze (Florence).  We are staying in a haunted farmhouse in the country on Halloween! ;)

La Playa en Barcelona

I"m going to post the two portions of my trip as separate entries, so here's Barcelona!  After a very long day of traveling Sunday we made it to Christine's grandmother's house on the beach in Hospitalet de l'Infant.  On Monday Karen and I spent most of the day on the beach collecting rocks and water-coloring.  We also ate a real Paella Catelana, which was delicious.  On Tuesday we took the train into Barcelona to see the Sagrada Familia (Gaudi), the Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe.  Christine and I also decided to go Park Guell (Gaudi), (even though we didn't really have much time) a fairy-tale like park with panoramic views of the city....the buildings look kind of like gingerbread houses and there are cave like structures....I have to admit that my impression is: the original Disney Land.  My camera died, so no pictures.  We had to climb so many stairs to get there but the views were worth it, even if we only got to be there for 15 minutes.  We also got to walk around Barcelona, and use the metro system which is muccch more extensive than the one we have in Rome.  We were searching for a good place to eat which was shockingly difficult to find....I even practiced my spanish by asking a few people where nearby restaurants were....eventually we found a little place where I tried another paella.  On Wednesday we borrowed Christine's grandmother's car to explore the spanish hill towns Tivissa and Llaberia.  They both had a sleepy ghostly aura about them, but the few people we ran across were warm and friendly despite the cold soggy weather.  We stopped by the bakery in Tivissa and bought cookies and honey.  We also stopped by the spring where everybody in the area get's their water.  On Thursday we got up early to begin or journey to Paris....Barcelona and Paris are not that far away from each other, but after a car ride, train ride, another train ride, bus ride, flight, bus ride, and metro ride, you wouldn't know it.  All in the name of saving money...

Away we go

Today we are leaving for Barcelona and then Paris on Thursday. We are staying right on the beach in a town outside of Barcelona at Christine's grandmother's place. So when I come back next Sunday I should have a wealth of stories and pictures (since I sucked it up and bought a camera). Yesterday we went to Villa Borghese, a giant park on the north end of the city. There was a running event going on, so the paths were taped off, and runners continually passing by. Throughout the sprawling park are scattered museums, a pond (where people rent canoes and feed the ducks), and a dirt track. The trees create a genuine escape from the city, a micro-climate where people stretch out on the lawn, walk their dogs, display a little bit too much public affection, picnic, and even cycle around on 4 person bike-carts. We also went to the main museum, where they have two of the most famous Bernini sculptures. I've uploaded a scan (will later if it ever worrrrrks) of a sketch of Apollo and Daphne: the story goes that cupid wounded Apollo with an arrow, infecting him with an uncontrollable desire for the nymph Daphne, who he alternatively wounds with an arrow that renders her resolutely repulsed. Just as Apollo is about to catch the fleeing Daphne, her father Peneus (river god) turns her into a laurel tree. So that is how laurel trees became sacred ;). The sculpture is a great example of the Baroque...the figures are literally frozen in twisting motion, and the work is compelling from every angle.

Come Va? Va bene....piano piano

This Tuesday we had a big deadline for urban design course.  We had to do analysis of the area with the intent of inspiring design ideas.  So this weekend we tried to get a lot of work done, but still ended up working late on Monday night....and into Monday morning.  I walked home for a shower at 6 in the morning, seeing the city for the first time in the first moments of daylight.  Vendors had just begun setting up in Campo dei Fiori for the morning market.  It was a relief to not have so many cars and scooters driving up behind me for once, but instead I had to squeeze past produce trucks as workers unloaded boxes, restocking the stores.  After a shower and breakfast I saw the city waking up a bit more, some shops beginning to open up, and a few people walking on their way to work.  This weekend we also went to a free public concert in Piazza San Giovani to see the CURE!  We watched them perform under flashing lights as we waded through ankle deep glass bottles, trying to get closer to the screen displaying the fantastically teased and tortured mass of ratty hair belonging to the singer.  It was a perplexing feeling to be crammed in among so many people and be outside in a huge open plaza.  This week has been mostly work and more field trips (today we went to the Ara Pacis museum and the auditorium designed by Renzo Piano)(and an italian test on Wednesday), but tonight we are going to our French friend's house for a movie night with all of our non-american friends.  We're watching a spanish movie about a group of foreign exchange students from all over who come together and have a life changing experiences....how appropriate ;).

Sun and Shower, Wind and Rain

Ok, I will try to bring you all up to date on what I've been up to.  Where to start?  It's been a little more than a week, and my memory seems to be about a week long, so I'll start with last Friday...Friday night Karen and I went to the opening of a indie music club called Fish and Chips with our italian friends.  I don't know how to describe it in a way that will make sense to everyone, but it was this sheek, hip, underground gathering of fantastically dressed italians, and the girls all had perfect Audrey Hepburn hair.  The next morning....or that morning I guess...we left for a four hour bus ride to Pompeii, an ancient city that is really well preserved because it was engulfed by a volcanic eruption in the 1st century.  It poooooured down rain, and we got to jump puddles while we explored the ruins.  We stayed in a hotel in Paestum, where we also got to see some ancient greek ruins, which are the oldest ruins we will get to see.  I will try to upload a sketch soon.  The trip was very fun overall, and we got to meet some more students from Tulane, which was really cool.  However, we developed a deep appreciation for the fact our group is so small, because everything went soooo slowly with such a big group.  On the way back we also got to stop by a mozzarella di bufala factory (where they make mozarella with buffalo milk, which is how it is traditionally made, and the flavor is simply delicious....sweet, creamy, fresh, and with a distinctive flavor you just don't get with cow's milk).  This weekend I also lost my little backpack on the bus (at the time is contained by telephone, camera, sketch book, and journal/calendar).  I have seriously gone through a mourning period, a spent some serious time contemplating the value and role of material objects in life.  Out of those four things, I am most pained by the loss of the journal- words: thoughts and memories in written form.  Other than the sketches and lost pictures, the other things are just money, and money is only time.  I'm beginning to move into the acceptance stage.  This week we've been working more on our urban planning project, including exploring the area of town where our site is.  I'm getting more and more excited about it, because I'm going to use it as an excuse to explore my interest in urban agriculture and food distribution.  This Wednesday Karen, Christine, and I organized a "mixer" at our apartment and invited people that we've met from every avenue of our experience:  other study abroad students from Tulane, Northeastern University, and Penn State, as well as our French friend, and some of the girls from all over that always seem to be floating around whenever he is there, and our Italian friends.  It was a complete and utter success:  it was a potluck, and we ended up with tons of food and wine, with a perfect balance of types of food.  Everybody had so much fun, it never got too loud, and we were proud of ourselves for creating an opportunity where so many people got to meet that otherwise wouldn't have.  Last night we went to a bar called Ombre Rosse (red shadows) to listen to a blues band.  The music was amazing, and Christine and I got up for a song to dance even though there wasn't much space (she is teaching me to follow and teaching herself to teach by leading....if that makes any sense).  Today was a beautiful sunny day, much warmer than it's been, and Christine and I went exploring around our site more.  Tonight we are supposed to go out dancing but I'm crying uncle, because I've been fighting a cold that I can't quite shake.  I'm still having trouble uploading photos, because our internet has been very unreliable lately, but I will keep trying.

Una settimana piu

It's been a week since I've written because I've been molto occupata-very busy- and the internet at studio stopped working for a few days.  This past week we finished up one of our calsses (a course in Roman sustainability) and began an new one about urban design.  Today we rented bicycles and Tom gave us tour around the area where the site for our design project will be.  If I had any doubts about the value of studying in Rome, they are gone after today.  I'm excited to get into this project because I'm realizing more and more how interested I am in urban planning, specifically how it relates to agriculture.  We also ate at a place called Gambero Rosso- a food center that gives wine and cooking classes, sells culinary equipment, and serves a gourmet buffet.  Needless to say, I was in heaven.  We ate finocchi (fennel) cooked with a creme sauce, pollo con peperoni (chicken), melanzane, radicchio, peperoni al forno (roasted eggplant, radiccio and peppers), cicoria ripassata (endive), and broccoli romaneschi ripassati (cauliflour).  It was delicious and I ate wayyyy too much.

This past Saturday we went on a field trip to Hadrian's villa (a sprawling retreat built by an emperor in the 2nd century) and Tivoli (a city just east of Rome), where we visited Villa D'Este, a 16th century villa known for its gardens and fountains.  The ruins at Hadrian's villa are fabulous: the monumental structure that housed the baths has deteriorated in such a way that the structure looks even more impressive than if I imagine it whole:  a narrow strip of stone precariously stretches above your head, hinting at a long-gone dome.  We also explored underground tunnels, which have are now lit by ghostly shafts of light because they've dug holes in them connecting up to the ground.  The trip was also a good chance to meet some new people because we went with a huge group of Northeastern architecture students.  That night we went to a house music battle, which is a stlye of electronic dance music, with some of the guys we met from Northeastern.  Two dj's battled, taking turns mixing.  It was crazy, but so fun.  On Sunday we went to a soccer game- the stadium is awesome, and I actually managed to focus on watching the game for most of the time, so I was proud of myself.  The best part was watching little puffs of cigarette smoke come from the massive audience and join the hazy cloud hovering above them.  Last night we went to a blues club with some new friends of Christine's- Christine is a fabulous dancer and is trying to help these people jump-start a dance scene in Rome by helping them out with lessons.  We listened to great music and I learned how to dance some blues, which was soooo fun, even though I'm not so graceful!

Pictures:

Still been trying to upload these pictures....

1.  An ancient house in Ostia Antica that we analyzed as we were finishing up our sustainability course.

2.  Tunnel in Hadrian's Villa

3.  What remains of the bath complex at Hadrian's Villa

4.  Soccer game

pics

ostia

665

baths

soccer game-714

Amici in Roma

It has been a busy week so far...Sunday we went to the flea market, where I got lost and had my first claustrophobia freak-out ever.  The flea market is huge, and apparently very tricky.  There is one verrry long stretch where there are no side streets for what I swear was about a half mile, which seems like it might as well be 50 miles when you are stuck in a sea of people walking in every which direction.  I had no idea how long it would take me to find a way out, but it ended up taking almost an hour.  I am ok now though, don't worry.  This weekend there was also a market in the piazza right next to our apartment put on by an organization working to protect local agriculture.  We bought honey and sausage and other goodies.  This week Karen and I made some more new friends as well- we met a little french guy who is an intern for the french embassy....he invited us to an outdoor party, where we met some more italian friends.  We are acquiring many italian teachers, and getting to practice our italian plenty.  I have also had opportunity to practice my spanish, which is a fun break from trying to speak italian, but has resulted in what I call spitaliano- a dangerous mix, in which plurals run awry and c's and g's develop multiple personalities.  You know you are confused when you are talking to an italian in spanish and you both begin adding i's to the end of words to make them plural.  Yesterday we worked on the archaeology site doing documentation drawings.  Tomorrow we are doing the same, and we are also planning to go to the beach afterwards because it's nearby.  Oh!  And we moved to a new apartment today because there were some plumbing issues (our apartment is leaking into the one below us).  We should only be at this one for about a week, but we kind of what to stay in the new one, so Tom is going to see if they would let us.   Here is a picture of the market this weekend.

La citta verde

The weekend is off to a great start.  On Friday we had a design deadline and presentation.  After that, the 5 of us went exploring...we found a HUGE bookstore and listened to music and browsed books and magazines, which was a new and interesting way of experiencing the culture.  Karen and I went out with our new italian friends later on, which was even a better way to experience the culture.  We went dancing and practiced our italian- I learned more italian last night than I have in all of my classes so far combined!  Today we went to il orto botanico (botanical garden) and had a photo-shoot in our dresses.  Both pictures are from the botanical gardens.

I Love Dirt

So Tuesday and yesterday we went to Ostia Antica to volunteer at an archaeological dig put on by Kent University (England).  Quote of the week: "The young men seem to enjoy maddocking large clumps of dirt."  You must imagine it with the quaintest english accent possible, spoken slowly and thoughtfully, coming from a man wielding a maddock (hoe-like tool) as though it were a croquet mallet.  That pretty much sums up the spirit of these two days.  We mostly did hard labor, clearing off the top layer of dirt on one of the gridded squares, occasionally finding pottery fragments and mosaic stones.  Next week we are going on Tuesday and Thursday as well, and then we get to do some drawing (they draw scaled plans and elevations of all of the excavations).  

Pictures: 1. ruins  

2. archaeological site

The piper's calling you to join him

Today we went to Ostia Antica (an old port city) to look at ruins, which is directly west from Rome, near the coast.  We spent most of the day volunteering on an archaeological dig, which was fun and interesting.  Pictures and thoughts on that tomorrow, because right now I feel like posting a video from sunday.  Rome certainly doesn't look like cities we are used to in the U.S., but it doesn't sound like them either.  Sitting in Campo dFiore on Sunday night, I let my auditory senses take the lead, appreciating the depth of space and protection of the piazza with only my ears.  The sound of the guitar fills the entire hollow of the piazza, making you feel physically submerged.  Listen for yourself, although it doesn't do any justice to being there.

Ripple in Still Water

A weekend of serendipitous syncronocity....Friday we took a train to Terracina, a small town about 100 kilometers down the cost.  The old town there is a labyrinth of mostly medieval construction, with ancient ruins scattered about.  We stayed at the top of the hill in a charming little villa on the hill, whick drops steeply down to the coast.  The girls and I went swimming in the ocean as soon as we got there...the water was sparkling clear and incredibly buoyant.  We ate fresh seafood, and then gelato (the best we've had yet, from the nicest, most loveable lady, who makes them all herself!) in the old town piazza, soaking in the deliciously quiet tranquility.  After cappuccino in the same piazza in the morning, we worked on a design-sketch project (you can see the site in the left hand side of the photo where the ancient column stumps are), and then took a bus to Sperlonga, another small town 20 minutes down the coast.  Syd, you would have loved this place!  All of the buildings are whitewashed, creating a compelling maze of reflected light and soft shadow as we climbed our way through narrow alleys and steep stairways.  Then we meandered along the coast to some ancient ruins, which were the remains of an emperor's summer retreat in a fantastic cave, which was the dining hall.  That night, back in Terracina, Tom had us over for dinner in his tower!  He and his wife renovated the very top of this tower, which has fantastic views of the surrounding area.  Today Karen and I decided to stay in Terracina longer, sketching and swimming, while the rest of the group headed back early.

Photos

1.  The water from the natural spring bubbles up from the sand, creating mysterious ripples (Sperlonga).

2.  Piazza in Terracina

3.  Sperlonga...this photo does not do any justice to the aura of light in this place...

4.  Sperlonga

5.  View from cave out to Sperlonga

6.  View from Tom's tower

7.  Ancient temple at the very top of the hill in Terracina (we went here this morning)

Rome unfolding

Here's the recap since I last wrote: This Sunday was our day off, so we decided to check out the flea market.  We were searching for a famously long string of tent stands, but instead found a much smaller flea market, and it still took us a good chunk of time to get through it.  Talk about a treasure hunt, I felt the pack-rat in me stirring with delight: beads, old jewelry and coins, photos, clothes abounded.  I also went on an amazing run by the river, which is really quite nice because there are are so many trees planted along the edges.  Monday we had our first italian class (which started out very slow, but at least it's a start), and then made a feast at the guys' apartment with the 5 of us from Cal Poly: insalata di caprese, insalata di spinachi, melon with proscuitto, bread with formaggio (cheese), and salsiccia (sausage).  Tuesday we dealt with some bureaucratic realities (applied for our permits of stay).  Then I went on an exploratory sketching venture, widening the range of the area that I've gotten to know so far.  Yesterday was mostly working on a presentation we are doing today....which I should be working on right now....

Pictures:

1.  Looking at the obelisk in Piazza San Pietro (near the Vatican).

2. Ara Pacis- perhaos the only modern building in Rome (and a controversial one at that-and to house an old monument), by Richard Meier (the same guy who did the Getty in LA)...the colors in this photo are unaltered, it actually looked like this.

3.  Looking through a gapp in a closed gate on my walk- I was walking along the Auerelian wall (reconstructed) peeking through at estate-like properties.

4.  There are so many buildings covered in Tom Mayne-esque skins, because they are always cleaning or renovating something...I think it adds an interesting aesthetic to the urban fabric.

Amazing Two Days

These two days were the most fun yet!  Yesterday we journeyed to the southeast edge of town to explore the ancient aqueducts.  The contrast to the chaos of central rome is striking: dry grassy vastness stretches in every direction, the aqueducts marching a straight line across the landscape.  The smell of dirt was cleansing after breathing city air all week.  The followed the aqueducts into the outskirts, stopping to visit some artist friends of Tom's.  The gate to their house is an arch of the aqueducts.  They showed us pictures and told stories about the gypsies that used to live in the aqueducts.

Today we drove out in the same direction, making stops along the way.  We briefly explored some hill towns, including Castel Gandolfo, Ariccia (where we picked up some renowned porchetta, or pork, panini), and Ninfa, where we toured the old medieval city, which is now an exotic garden with plants from all over the world.  It is shielded by the surrounding hills, creating a microclimate where many things can grow.

Pictures:  The only picture I got od the aqueducts before my camera died.  I'll definately be going back though.  Ruins at Ninfa.  Movie:  view from Nemi

I can't believe it's already been almost a week, yet somehow it seems so long ago since I was in Albuquerque.  Yesterday we did more lecture-touring, and had another drawing session.  Today was our final drawing lesson, and we worked with conte pastel.  It's a medium I've never worked with, so it is both fun and frustrating.  The girls and I made seared tuna (tonno) and sauteed eggplant and zucchini- it was delicious!  We also bought more market goodies, inclusing salt and honey!  Our kitchen is finally starting to come together.  Tomorrow we are exploring the aqueducts!  Pictures: Left- This photo makes the Tiber look much more picturesque than it really is, but at certain points it is quite nice.  This is taken from the edge of the Jewish ghetto, near 'Isola Tiberina' (the island).  Right: The Pantheon oculus.  The Pantheon is about a 5 minute walk west of Piazza Navona (where my studio is), and no matter which angle I approach it from, it surprises me, peeking out between buildings and around corners, completing jolting my perception of scale every time.

Oggi e martedi

Today is Tuesday, and I am currently sitting in my studio.  We don't get internet at the apartment, and the nearby cafe had a non-cooperative signal tonight for some reason.  Today we had a class lecture/tour...learning history while walking around is nothing like learning it from slides.  We also had our first drawing lesson sketching a fountain.  Above, is a picture of our kitchen (small, eh?...and no oven).  Second is a picture of our market purchases at Camp d'Fiore yesterday.  Third is a picture of our street.  The city is such a mish-mash of everything....I've become a hyper-active monkey with so much to explore!  More soon.