On Feb 1, 2000, our group of 19 people including the teacher and the assisstant left Providence and went to Boston to take an airplane to Italy. At the airport, we were still trying to figure out who is who. Most of the people still doesn't know the names of their classmates even though we had classes together for four weeks already. I made a call to Allen Lee, my highschool friend in Boston while waiting at the airport. I guess that was when I lost my little note book. Yes, the note book which I had all my life information and important telephone numbers writen on. I didn't realize I lost my note book until I arrived at the airport of Milan: waiting for a transfer to Rome. Funny, I was not that upset at all when I realized I left my notebook behind. I didn't want a little thing to ruin my mood for the rest of the trip.
While we were waiting at the airport of Milan, Bill gave us each Lyra 10,000 to buy food. Cool! No teacher would give students free money to spent. I thought that was pretty awesome. After a six hour flight from Boston to Milan, we took another hour flight from Milan to Rome. When we got to Rome, we hopped on the taxi and headed straight for the hotel.
Rome is very crowded. There are barely any street lights. As you can imagine, the traffic is chaotic. There are no signs, no walking path in the city of Rome. Just stone tiled roads for cars, people, and motor cycles. Crossing the roads is always a life risking task. No cars would stop for pedestrians. If you look at the driver in the eyes, assuming that they see you and would slow down, then you are very wrong. You see, it works around the other way. The driver assume that you see him, thus speed up toward your direction. I never cross the street unless a group of people is crossing with me.
Like many other Italian cities, Rome has many little allies. These allies, usually no more than 10 feet wide are the main roads for automobiles and people. Despite the grand broadway by Mussolini, the rest of the roads are rather small and often parked with cars. The architecture which is usually three to four stories tall makes it impossible to see above you. If you look up, you would only see a strip of the sky. Trying not to get lost is impossible: each ally looks the same. The only way to locate yourself in Rome is by the architecture landmarks locate throughout the city. These architectural landmarks could be plazas, churches, or archeological sites. For example, the Navona Plaza is one of the most famouse and largest plaza in Rome.
The first day when we arrived at Rome, the city was covered up by the fog. We went to see the famouse Pantheon, the first Roman dome architecture sponsored by Agrippe, Emperor Augustus's son in law. Augustus was the first Roman Emperor after the assassination of Julius Ceasar. We also went to several churches to see the master paintings hanging in the interior walls. We had a walking tour around center Rome. At night, we went to see the Roman Forum, where the Roman Emperors lived. We also went to see the destroyed Etruscan city. The Etruscans were the ancestors of the Romans before the Republic. It is so amazing to see these architecture sites. Even though most of the structures were destroyed during revolutions and war, the size of the arches and columns that hold up these structure remains. The size of these elements makes me wonder what kind of power, empire and unity of force is capable of such a work. I can only imagin. Once the palaces of emperors are now ruins and shelter for street cats.
During day time, there are hundreds of cats ruming around these ancient sites. The next day, we went to see the Colosseum and the Vatican City. The Colosseum is a Roman arena where thousands of animals and gladiators fought till their death for the entertainment of blood thirst audience and emperors. Like the rest of the Roman ruins, the place became another shelter for cats. I couldn't help thinking that these cats must have gathered because of the blood that was once splashed on every inch of the wall. Maybe the smell of blood decay still remains. Or could there be spirits floating around these sites? The Egyptians believe that cats are the guides to the underworld. Hehehe...am I giving you the chill??!!!
Tour at the Vatican City was amazing! Although we didn't see the old man, sorry, I mean the Pope. But we did see a lot of amazing paintings and sculptures. I wish I have more times at the Vatican City. So much to see in so little time! I would love to go back to Rome, just to tour the Vatican City again. Some of the cool thing we saw at the Vatican Museum was the Sistine Chapel where Michaelangelo painted the the scenes of Genesis. What? You don't know what that is? Okay, remember a painting where there are two guys, one naked, and the other dressed in a red robe reaching out their hands for each other. Their finger tips touching each other? Yes! That's the painting I saw! Man, how can Michaelangelo have so much patient lying on his back painting upside down for three years. The guy must be nuts! Okay, okay, but the painting he created is magnificent! Of course, I also saw a lot of other things, such as "The School of Athen" by Raphael. Okay, I guess you don't know what I'm talking about. Just so that you know the paintings are great! I wish I can draw like that too! Some of the paintings are so real as if the characters are living in the same space I was standing. It almost seems like I can walk right into the painting.
At night, Bill took us to a "trotteria" to eat pasta. "Trotteria" is a category name for the cheap restaurants in Italy. A better restaurant is catagorized as "Restaurante." The most expensive restaurant is the "Trotteriah." You would pay about $50 per person if you want to go eat there. We never had the chance to to to a "Trotteriah." Maybe next time when I go with my parents to Italy!
The Italian loves wine. They drink wine for lunch and dinner. Bars are located everywhere! Basically, there is a bar every ten steps! Because there isn't an age restriction on the consuming of alchole. Everyone had a lot of wine every single night. I would say that over 90% of the drivers on the street would be considered legally drunk according to American standard.
Italian pasta is very chewy. When we first ate the spaggetti, some of us though the pasta wasn't well cook. Later, Bill explained to us because the water in Italy has a heavy amount of calcium, their pasta taste more chewy. Hey, even the laundry (hotel towels) came out hard like bread crust! Although I'm not a big fan of pasta, but the "prociutoo" is very good. "Prociutto" is a type of ham, air dried by salt, thinly sliced and served raw. Man, I miss prociutto+AH4-!
We finally left Rome and took a train to Florence. Trying to get to Florence was another big task for our group. The day we were going to leave Rome, the Train Worker's Union went on strike. None, but one train was running. After many trials, we finally got the tickets for the only trian to Florence. The interior of the train is divided into rooms. Each room contains six comfortable wide seats. I sat in a non-smoking room with my friends and TA.
On the train, everyone took out their CD player. One girl, a href="stephanie.jpg">Stephanie took a blue pill, (no, not viagra) and knocked herself out into a deep sleep. I wish I took the sleeping pill like she did, cause I was tossing and turing during the entire ride. When I got to Florence, the only thing I want to do was sleep!
But hey! Time is preciouse! No time to sleep. The moment we got to Florence, we went to book out luggage in a family hotel and then went straight out to tour the city of Florence. Florence is beautiful! At least I would say it is more organized than Rome. What did I saw the most in Florence? Oh, must be the floor. Ah+AH4- The street of Florence is full of dog shit. Trying not to step on one is impossible. At the end, its just a matter of when.
I love Florence, it's a heaven for a shopaholic like me! The retail price for everything is about 70% of the price of United States. Not to mention an additional 50% off!! Although I was tire as a puppy, I walked for the whole day, touring the city of Florence. In addition, I memorized all the location of the stores which I told myself I will come back to shop for tomorrow. Hey! Can you believe I had the best sense of direction of where every store is located!! I guess when it comes to shopping, I can remember everything. My friends and teacher use architecture as landmark. I, I use shopping stores as my landmark for mapping the city of Florence inside my head. At the end, I was the one who's leading the group around the city. Hahaha, I think I should organize a shopping group to Florence with myself being the guide!
At Florence, I went to visit the Duomo, Uffizi Museum, the Medici Palace (the richest family in Europe during Renaissance), the Medici Chapel built by Michaelangelo, the Pitti Palace(Rival family of the Medici), Villa of Michaelangelo and many many other museums and churches.
The Duomo was the main landmark of the city. It was first built during the Renaissance as a shelter to house all the town people during wars. The Medici Palace is a typical architecture style of the Renaissance palaces. It contains three stories. Each stories is more refined than the one below. The center of the palace is a open sky courtyard, supported by columns and round arches.
The Pitti Palace was probably the most heavily decorated palace I saw in Florence. The Pitti family wanted to compete with the Medici family. Thus, they built a grand palace and hired a lot of artist to decorate the entire palace. At the end, the family spent all their wealth on the palace and went broke. The palace is amazing! Even the bathroom is bigger than my room. I wish I could live there even if they just give me the bathroom!
The day our class went to Sienna, I stayed behind. I had an upset stomach after drinking a cup of red wine the night before. That morning, I was throwing up very bad in the hotel bathroom. Basically, I was hanging onto the toilet. So I decided to stay in the hotel and rest while the rest of the class went to Sienna. When I woke up, it was already noon. I got dressed and called up the front desk to open my room door because my roommate locked me inside the room when they left.
It was a Monday afternoon. The Italian has a very weird habit. At noon, everyone would close their shops and go to eat a four hours lunch. Thus, when I went out to shopping, all the stores are closed. So, I did a bunch of window shopping, waiting for the stores to reopen at 4p.m. I saw a lot of things that I wanted to buy for my friends and my parents. I told myself that I will walk back to purchase them when the shops open. Finally, I walked into a store that is opened. I went in, and bought a bouque of flowers. Little do I know that someone was following me by then. Ten minutes later, I walked into another shop to purchase a comb, because I forgot to bring one with me. When I went to the counter to pay for it, I found out that my wallet has already been stolen!!! I clearly remembered that I put my wallet into the small bag with a zipper inside my backpack! I turned around, and saw my backpack opened, and the small bag inside zip opened! Ah!!!!! It was horrible! I lost $220 dollars, my credit card, insurance card, and student ID. I had zero, not one penny on me! All those things that I told myself I'm going to buy became impossible. Thus, for the rest of the trip, whenever someone ask me if I want to go shop with them. I always said no. I had no money!!! It was a torture for me to see something I want and not being able to buy it! AHHHHHH!!! I stayed in the hotel and slept a lot while everyone went out to shop. Man, and I remembered all the store locations already....what a waste!
