I call this one "man in boat"
St. Mark's Cathedral in the fog
detail of the architecture on a less-foggy day
the obligatory photo of solitary gondalas
Looking across the Grand Canal from the island of St. George
07 December 2006
Venezia baby!
Here are some hopelessly thought-provoking photos I took of Venice:
I call this one "man in boat"
St. Mark's Cathedral in the fog
detail of the architecture on a less-foggy day
the obligatory photo of solitary gondalas
Looking across the Grand Canal from the island of St. George
I call this one "man in boat"
St. Mark's Cathedral in the fog
detail of the architecture on a less-foggy day
the obligatory photo of solitary gondalas
Looking across the Grand Canal from the island of St. George
04 December 2006
L'ultima settimana!
Believe it or not, I'm nearly done with my semester in Rome. Dio mio!
The last couple weeks have been particularly busy.
Now I'm swimming in final papers, exams, and projects, but hoping that I will find some time to say a proper goodbye to my favorite city EVER!
(BTW this post is pretty lacking in the grammar and coherency departments due to my lack of free time)
Anyway, the party officially started November 25 when the parentals arrived in our fair city Roma. Here's a photo of them looking especially autumnal on Ponte Palatino over the Tiber River. In the background to the right is the Aventine Hill, where my campus is and their hotel was.
We, of course, did huge amounts of touring. But it was really wonderful to spend time with other people who really appreciate the history and art of Rome - plus my parents are pretty fab if you haven't had the pleasure.
Below is an awkward picture of me in front of my internship site: La Biblioteca Corsiniana dell'Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei - a pretty big name for which I perfected the art of pretending I was busy and competent in Italian.
This is the candy stand at the Christmas market in Piazza Navonna. Ah, to be young again!
Lights of the Christmas market behind the Piazza Navonna fountain
St. Peter's and the Tiber River all lit up
This past Saturday night, a group of friends and I went to our first Italian soccer game. Wow. Those Italians don't mess around with their calcio (that's soccer for all you non-Italians.)
Below are the fans presenting their banners and singing the anthem of the Roma team, pretty inspirational.
Celebratory flares were all over the stadium making it smokey for pretty much the whole game. Yay fire hazards!
We won! Which was really good since there was already a unit of armed guards between us and the opponents since they charged at us after making the first goal.
One other cool thing I did this past weekend was go to the HUGE and I really mean GINORMOUS flea market at Porta Portese in Rome. Seriously, this place has everything you could ever want (and more) for sketchily low prices. So I had a fun time walking around with my friend Maggie, while she took some pretty photos of the busy, crowded scene... until someone reached into her pocket and stole her camera! I know, its horrible! And the worst part was I essentially saw it happen, but it was all too fast for me to realize that someone had actually stolen her camera until like 2 seconds afterwards, and by then whoever did it was successively hidden in the crowd. The best part was an Italian lady consoled Maggie later saying "Don't worry! Just go to Porta Portese next week and you can buy it back!"
This week was my last tutoring session with Francesca. I learned with her that teaching (and learning) English is ridiculously difficult - seriously, there are way too many irregularities and inconsistencies. I'm so grateful I learned English as my first language. But we did have fun. Here's a silly picture of us.
While working on my Italian project I noticed this fantastic sunset. Mi mancherai Roma.
The last couple weeks have been particularly busy.
Now I'm swimming in final papers, exams, and projects, but hoping that I will find some time to say a proper goodbye to my favorite city EVER!
(BTW this post is pretty lacking in the grammar and coherency departments due to my lack of free time)
Anyway, the party officially started November 25 when the parentals arrived in our fair city Roma. Here's a photo of them looking especially autumnal on Ponte Palatino over the Tiber River. In the background to the right is the Aventine Hill, where my campus is and their hotel was.
We, of course, did huge amounts of touring. But it was really wonderful to spend time with other people who really appreciate the history and art of Rome - plus my parents are pretty fab if you haven't had the pleasure.
Below is an awkward picture of me in front of my internship site: La Biblioteca Corsiniana dell'Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei - a pretty big name for which I perfected the art of pretending I was busy and competent in Italian.
This is the candy stand at the Christmas market in Piazza Navonna. Ah, to be young again!
Lights of the Christmas market behind the Piazza Navonna fountain
St. Peter's and the Tiber River all lit up
This past Saturday night, a group of friends and I went to our first Italian soccer game. Wow. Those Italians don't mess around with their calcio (that's soccer for all you non-Italians.)
Below are the fans presenting their banners and singing the anthem of the Roma team, pretty inspirational.
Celebratory flares were all over the stadium making it smokey for pretty much the whole game. Yay fire hazards!
We won! Which was really good since there was already a unit of armed guards between us and the opponents since they charged at us after making the first goal.
One other cool thing I did this past weekend was go to the HUGE and I really mean GINORMOUS flea market at Porta Portese in Rome. Seriously, this place has everything you could ever want (and more) for sketchily low prices. So I had a fun time walking around with my friend Maggie, while she took some pretty photos of the busy, crowded scene... until someone reached into her pocket and stole her camera! I know, its horrible! And the worst part was I essentially saw it happen, but it was all too fast for me to realize that someone had actually stolen her camera until like 2 seconds afterwards, and by then whoever did it was successively hidden in the crowd. The best part was an Italian lady consoled Maggie later saying "Don't worry! Just go to Porta Portese next week and you can buy it back!"
This week was my last tutoring session with Francesca. I learned with her that teaching (and learning) English is ridiculously difficult - seriously, there are way too many irregularities and inconsistencies. I'm so grateful I learned English as my first language. But we did have fun. Here's a silly picture of us.
While working on my Italian project I noticed this fantastic sunset. Mi mancherai Roma.
14 November 2006
Rome Resurrected!
Note: I just got back from Venice (will post soon!), and have been meaning to post this thing about Rome for a while... so slightly late, but oh so worth the wait.
Anyway, I have been quite busy! For the most part, a good kind of busy.
The whole "study abroad" thing is certainly an experience. Strangely enough, I think I'm learning a lot just by being in a program with East Coast prep school kids. Sometimes I feel like the California culture is a lot more similar to the Italian than it is to the East Coast...
But for the most part, I'm trying to get in there and experience the Italian culture. So things I have been up to:
- classes: I actually spend a lot of time in these (15 hours a week!) - but that's alright because for 12 of those hours I am led by a native Roman with a pHD on walking tours to the city's churches, ruins, museums, archaeological sites... mmm, its beautiful!
-internship! I'm still working at the library for the Accademia dei Lincei, doing very basic office work. Its actually kind of frustrating because I'm the only non-Italian there, so my language abilities, and thus social and intellectual abilities are pretty low. Languages are tough. I feel like I can communicate fairly well, but there's no way I can jump into their conversations, or even answer their questions without asking them to speak slower, or what a certain word means. Its rough but one of those things that I'm sure I'll appreciate when I am done.
- Also a couple weeks ago I started tutoring Francesca, a 9 year old Italian girl in English! This is really good for my Italian too - but a lot more fun! She is so cute, and I really enjoy the challenge of trying to make lessons interesting. We do lots of singing, game playing, and drawing - she thinks I'm wonderful, what more do I need in the world?
-Then, of course, the independent adventures throughout Rome must continue... some photos from a few of these below. Unfortunately though, research papers and approaching final projects have made these times less frequent :(
Capitoline Hill
Appian Way - I took a day trip here, 30 min outside the city center. For an ancient road it was pretty scary to walk down, as you can see by the narrow roadway, lack of sidewalk, zooming cars, and high walls surrounding. This only further proves that Caroline likes to live on the edge.
Sunset over the Jewish Ghetto (where the word "ghetto" originated - now its not a ghetto in the typical American sense of the term) - the squarish tower on the left side is the local synagogue.
Catacombs of S. Sebastiano, S. Callisto, and S. Domitilla were along the Appian Way. I went to the catacombs of S. Callisto.
I went to a free sacred choral music concert in the church of S. Igazio. This is the church of the founder of the Jesuit order, St. Ignatius. It is quite ornate!
Forum at night
Renaissance Tempietto designed by Brancacci. This is up on this beautiful hill called Gianicolo on the West side of town.
In South Rome, I visited some of the sites nearby. This is the pyramid of Cestius Gaius during the reign of Caesar Augustus when there was what historians call "Egyptomania" in Rome. Next door is part of the Roman walls created toward the decline of the Empire to keep out those darn barbarians!
Sunset over Via del Corso
Pantheon
The Protestant cemetery is nearby also, and has a number of famous Romantic poets, writers, and composers. Here is one of my favorites: Percy Bysshe Shelley.
And I finally gave in and bought one of those obnoxious Euro puffy jackets with fur... which I love!!! I wear it around in my room when I'm doing homework, or out on the town, or going to class! It works for all occasions!
Anyway, in conclusion: I really love Rome. A lot.
Of course there are things and people I miss about home, California, Oxy, America, but I'm trying my best to" live in the moment" and appreciate this ridiculously amazingly fantastic opportunity I have to study in Rome.
A dopo!
Anyway, I have been quite busy! For the most part, a good kind of busy.
The whole "study abroad" thing is certainly an experience. Strangely enough, I think I'm learning a lot just by being in a program with East Coast prep school kids. Sometimes I feel like the California culture is a lot more similar to the Italian than it is to the East Coast...
But for the most part, I'm trying to get in there and experience the Italian culture. So things I have been up to:
- classes: I actually spend a lot of time in these (15 hours a week!) - but that's alright because for 12 of those hours I am led by a native Roman with a pHD on walking tours to the city's churches, ruins, museums, archaeological sites... mmm, its beautiful!
-internship! I'm still working at the library for the Accademia dei Lincei, doing very basic office work. Its actually kind of frustrating because I'm the only non-Italian there, so my language abilities, and thus social and intellectual abilities are pretty low. Languages are tough. I feel like I can communicate fairly well, but there's no way I can jump into their conversations, or even answer their questions without asking them to speak slower, or what a certain word means. Its rough but one of those things that I'm sure I'll appreciate when I am done.
- Also a couple weeks ago I started tutoring Francesca, a 9 year old Italian girl in English! This is really good for my Italian too - but a lot more fun! She is so cute, and I really enjoy the challenge of trying to make lessons interesting. We do lots of singing, game playing, and drawing - she thinks I'm wonderful, what more do I need in the world?
-Then, of course, the independent adventures throughout Rome must continue... some photos from a few of these below. Unfortunately though, research papers and approaching final projects have made these times less frequent :(
Capitoline Hill
Appian Way - I took a day trip here, 30 min outside the city center. For an ancient road it was pretty scary to walk down, as you can see by the narrow roadway, lack of sidewalk, zooming cars, and high walls surrounding. This only further proves that Caroline likes to live on the edge.
Sunset over the Jewish Ghetto (where the word "ghetto" originated - now its not a ghetto in the typical American sense of the term) - the squarish tower on the left side is the local synagogue.
Catacombs of S. Sebastiano, S. Callisto, and S. Domitilla were along the Appian Way. I went to the catacombs of S. Callisto.
I went to a free sacred choral music concert in the church of S. Igazio. This is the church of the founder of the Jesuit order, St. Ignatius. It is quite ornate!
Forum at night
Renaissance Tempietto designed by Brancacci. This is up on this beautiful hill called Gianicolo on the West side of town.
In South Rome, I visited some of the sites nearby. This is the pyramid of Cestius Gaius during the reign of Caesar Augustus when there was what historians call "Egyptomania" in Rome. Next door is part of the Roman walls created toward the decline of the Empire to keep out those darn barbarians!
Sunset over Via del Corso
Pantheon
The Protestant cemetery is nearby also, and has a number of famous Romantic poets, writers, and composers. Here is one of my favorites: Percy Bysshe Shelley.
And I finally gave in and bought one of those obnoxious Euro puffy jackets with fur... which I love!!! I wear it around in my room when I'm doing homework, or out on the town, or going to class! It works for all occasions!
Anyway, in conclusion: I really love Rome. A lot.
Of course there are things and people I miss about home, California, Oxy, America, but I'm trying my best to" live in the moment" and appreciate this ridiculously amazingly fantastic opportunity I have to study in Rome.
A dopo!
29 October 2006
Barcelona!
Barcelona was the first stop on my week-long expedition some call Fall Break. In a word I would call this city vibrant: lots of bright colors, strange architecture, creative street performers, and good food.
Towards the end of my week I went on an architectural walk, with the help of my handy-dandy guide book. I found that Barcelona has this interesting combination of Gothic streets and churches from the Middle Ages next to extremely modern and creative complexes from the 20th century.
An apartment complex by Gaudi
Market continues outside of a Gothic church
The stark white contemporary art museum is nestled between "old world" apartment buildings with colorful laundry out the windows.
traditionalism vs. modernity - aww it sounds like an Occidental humanities paper!
Skateboarders take over the museum's plaza after hours.
Speaking of tradition... I was wandering around the Barric Gothic in Barcelona when I happened upon a large group of Barcelonans practicing the local Catalan dance the "Sardana." It's one of those cutesy circle dances where they all hold hands and kick their feet in the air. I kind of wanted to join in but held myself back. Here are some photos of the pros:
the hot band keeping it funky fresh...
One of the cool things about Barcelona is their open markets. There are several throughout the city as well as vendors along the main street La Rambla. Here are some photos of the two:
Mercat de la Boqueria
Note the pig's head.
Good times.
Towards the end of my week I went on an architectural walk, with the help of my handy-dandy guide book. I found that Barcelona has this interesting combination of Gothic streets and churches from the Middle Ages next to extremely modern and creative complexes from the 20th century.
An apartment complex by Gaudi
Market continues outside of a Gothic church
The stark white contemporary art museum is nestled between "old world" apartment buildings with colorful laundry out the windows.
traditionalism vs. modernity - aww it sounds like an Occidental humanities paper!
Skateboarders take over the museum's plaza after hours.
Speaking of tradition... I was wandering around the Barric Gothic in Barcelona when I happened upon a large group of Barcelonans practicing the local Catalan dance the "Sardana." It's one of those cutesy circle dances where they all hold hands and kick their feet in the air. I kind of wanted to join in but held myself back. Here are some photos of the pros:
the hot band keeping it funky fresh...
One of the cool things about Barcelona is their open markets. There are several throughout the city as well as vendors along the main street La Rambla. Here are some photos of the two:
Mercat de la Boqueria
Note the pig's head.
Good times.
Paris Holds the Key to My Heart!
So I definitely was singing that song the whole time I was in Paris. Unfortunately there weren't any other hardcore Anastasia fans in my group so it was often just a solo performance.
Anyway, after arriving Wednesday morning from our 6am Ryanair flight (meaning we had to get up at 2:30am to catch it), and taking a well-deserved nap, we decided to go for a walk around the city. Without knowing it, my Dad's genes resurfaced and I ended up taking the friends on a "death march" around Paris. (For anyone familiar with Paris: we started in the Latin Quarter, walked by Notre Dame, then to the Louvre, then down Champs-Elysees, across the river by the Eiffel Tower, and all the way back to the Latin Quarter along the Seine... basically circling central Paris and then some)
Despite the fact that I made lots of enemies that night, I had a good time wandering around and seeing how beautiful Paris is at night. Still working on my night photo skills...
The Louvre and pyramid.
The Eiffel Tower
Then one morning I got up early and climbed the North Tower of Notre Dame Cathedral! What a beautiful view! I took tons of photos of the gargoyles too, because I'm cool like that.
Sun peaking out behind Notre Dame
South end of Notre Dame and River Seine
More quasi-aerial photos of Paris:
On to the Gargoyles:
mmm... tasty
... looming over the square
is he vomiting?
The pensive, sentimental one - isn't he cute?
Then one night I went to a classical music concert in the church of Sainte Chappelle with amazingly beautiful blue stained glass windows. The concert was great too - they played lots of recognizable songs which made it more fun (some Mozart, an Ave Maria, you know the drill)
I spent some time wandering around the gardens in front of the Louvre called Jardin de Carrousel...
Yes, I guess this is an act of vanity. But I really like the green-grass background and I was having fun playing with my camera settings (right Caroline.)
Lots of garden time in Paris. I also went twice to Luxembourg Gardens which was closer to our hotel. It really is a phenomenal place - very refined though (no sitting on the grass allowed, everyone sits on chairs NEAR the grass.)
See? Its just begging for a romantic walk. Unfortunately, Josh wasn't there for me to torture.
So I wanted a photo of me walking through the garden, but I didn't want to ask someone because that would be weird. So instead, I walked back and forth along this path taking photos of myself - definitely less weird Caroline!
more of the garden:
Au revoir Paris!
There are many many more photos, and countless more stories, but this will do for now :)
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