Fantastic (and flavorful) Florence

I spent this last weekend in the fantastic city of Florence with a small group of friends from the Rome Center. The city was beautiful and I loved the food and culture I experienced there. I began my time in Florence by heading to the outdoor market full of famous Florence leather and a plethora of other wondrous goods. I was really proud of myself for bartering for a nice leather purse, and in the end I ended up getting the guy to knock off about fifteen dollars from the original price! I also bought some beautiful scarves that may or may not make it back to Indiana as gifts.

On our way back to our hostel we passed The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly known as the Duomo. It was massive! I couldn't believe the size of the basilica just from the outside. We went inside and my research senses started to go crazy as I observed how oddly the church was being used. There was only a small section of candles that people were lighting but no one seemed to be praying. The basilica was filled with tour groups and except for the modesty dress code there didn't seem to be any great reverence for the sacred space. Anyway, I caught myself thinking about functionality and tried to stop myself from continuing to explore the church in research mode but I guess its just how I've begun to look at things.




We got a recommendation for a reasonable restaurant from a local that turned out to be amazing. I had pear ravioli in the most delicious creamy cheese sauce every created. It was soooooo delicious. The pear was sweet and savory and I used some bread to soak up every last bit of sauce. Later we went to a gelato place not far from our hostel and I some of the best gelato in Italy! I had amaretto, grapefruit, and blackberry. All the flavors were amazing fresh and super yummy. The fantastic flavors of Florence continued when we went to dinner on Saturday night at a trattoria off the beaten path. We had chicken liver on toasted bread for appertivi (appetizer), and I had ravioli with sausage and tomato in another delectable cream sauce. I also had tiramisu since I've never had it before, and where better than a fantastic restaurant in Italy. The meal was delicious and very reasonable. All the food in Florence was wonderful! When I got a salami (so every things fine!) panino they sliced the meat fresh and added a scrumptious artichoke spread.


I got to go to The Galleria Accademia and the Uffizi Galleria. In the Accademia we saw Michelangelo's David. It was stunning! I wasn't allowed to take pictures and I couldn't do the sculpture justice trying to describe it. Every time I looked at the sculptures face I saw a different emotion. Especially with the religious context of the sculpture it was a moving experience. It was an incredible experience to see The David. In the Uffizi Galleria I saw several paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, and The Birth of Venus by Botticelli. It seems unreal that I saw such famous art.

On Sunday David (the only guy with on the trip) and I went exploring while the rest of the girls went shopping. There was a church I wanted to see but unfortunately it wasn't open. Instead we found a giant garden that we saw on our map. The garden was huge and gorgeous. The two of of took our time wandering around the beautiful gardens (which made me feel like I was in The Secret Garden) stumbling upon fountains and paths of overarching trees.

The whole trip was wonderful, and I can still taste all the fabulously fresh flavors of the delicious food!

Perfecto Pesto & Hazardous Hiking

This past weekend I went to Cinque Terre (a group of five small towns on the Italian Riviera). You can hike between all the towns or travel by train. My friend Laura and I took an overnight train to the city closest to Cinque Terre and then took the local train to the first town, Riomaggiore. It was beautiful! The city is right on the Ligurian Sea with the gorgeous cliffs and the sea on one side and vibrant green hills on the other.

We got there just as the park office was opening and we bought our trail passes to start hiking. Since it was so early we were nearly the only ones on the trail and we took our time enjoying the view and feeling the fresh morning air from the mountains and sea all around us. It was hard not to stop every couple feet to take a picture because the landscape was amazing. The hike went along the coast on the edge of the cliffs. It was hard to know what to look at because the sea and mountains were beautiful, but we were also surrounded by vegetation ranging from aloe vera plants, cacti, palm trees, and tons of other trees and flowers.

When we got to the next town, Manarola, we stopped for breakfast. Cinque Terre is famous for its pesto and its focaccia bread so I got a chunk of focaccia for breakfast. It was delicious, having just the right amount of crunchiness, tasting slightly sweet and buttery. After our wonderful breakfast we started along the next hike and found a place where you could walk right down to the water. We hiked down the rocks and as we got as close to the waves crashing up against the giant rocks and cliffs as we could before getting wet. The rest of the trail was closed because of it had been raining the past couple days so we headed back to town and took the train to Corniglia, the third town.

Laura convinced me to do the hike between Corniglia and Vernazza which (the longest hike between towns). It began alright, but quickly the path became a little treacherous. Sometimes the path wasn't really a path but just an incline of rocks that you had to climb, or a dirt trail turned to mud without even a railing for the two feet you had before it fell off into a ravine. By the time we were half way up the mountain we were hiking I was totally soaked with sweat and couldn't imagine making it the rest of the way, but the thought of the sea and pesto on the other side kept me going. Even though the hike was way more intense than I thought it would be I'm really glad I did it. When we finally made it over the mountain to Vernazza I was really proud that I had made it, and happy that I'd had a real (even if brief) backpacking experience. In the end the views were amazing and I got to get some delicious pesto for lunch.

We took the train to the last town, Monterosso, and headed for the beach. I got to swim in the sea! The water was perfectly refreshing but not too cold. There was a moment when I stopped and thought "I'm swimming in the sea off the coast of Italy - wow!" After swimming for a little bit I went and laid on the beach and fell asleep to the soothing sound of the waves until it started to rain. We took cover and headed to our hostel for the night.

My toes in the sea

The next day we went back to Vernazza and stopped at a local store and got some extremely fresh pesto, bread, and mozzarella. The pesto was soooooo good! It was really flavorful and so fresh.

We took our picnic lunch to the small beach and sat watching the boats in the bay. Then we went and sat on the giant rocks with our feet in the water enjoying the sun and waves


 and savoring the taste of the most amazing pesto in the world. It was a great end to our trip of fabulous food and amazing scenery.

Savoring and Researching

This weekend I made plans to go downtown with some friends to go shopping. When we headed out it turned out the group had different ideas of what to do and where to go. Once we got downtown I split off form the big group with three other people, and we began to wander around to see some piazzas. On our way we walked into Piazza della Rotonda where the Pantheon is. Everyone was feeling a little hungry so we found a local delhi and each got a fresh panino (sandwich). We took our sandwiches and sat down on the steps in the center of the piazza to eat. My sandwich was sooooo good! It had fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil and was on the most delicious bread that was buttery with the perfect texture. As we ate a street performer sang songs like "con te partiro" and "hymn a'lamour". Sitting eating our delicious lunch, listening to italian music, looking at the Pantheon and the people coming and going in the piazza was a perfect moment. We all sat listening and savoring our meal and simply enjoying the culture that surrounded us.

Sant' Ignazio

Later in the weekend I ventured out to start my research. My plan is to first visit a bunch of churches and then decide what churches to study in more detail. I made plans to visit four churches that were relatively close to each other. For the first time I went out by myself and found my way around Rome solo. It was a great feeling to be out in Rome getting started on my Ricci project. First I went to Sant' Ignazio, the beautiful church of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The church was beautiful and in a lot of ways it seemed to be functioning more like a church than the Vatican since it was silent and most people only took pictures on the outskirts of the church instead of posing in front of statues of the saints like at St. Peter's Basilica. It was a great start to my search for sacred spaces to study.


I also stopped at the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs, also known as the Pantheon. It was beautiful inside, but also sad because no one was treated it like a sacred space. The holy water founts were empty, there were no candles, and the only people sitting in the pews were tourists sitting so they could look up at the famous dome. The signs saying "sacred place, silence please" posted all around were almost comical since the noise inside was like being in a school cafeteria. Although it was a little disappointing to see the extreme tourism in the Pantheon/Basilica it was great for my research.

I'm glad I got to start my research and explore Rome independently, and I can still taste that delicious panino!

Time to Study

Even though the thought of going to class is not usually a happy one I'm pleased to say that my classes at the rome center are going well so far. I have Italian 102 which is basically like any other language class I've ever taken, but I actually get to use what I learn everyday. It's great to walk into the grocery store and be able to ask for something, or order dinner at a restaurant without looking like an idiotic tourist. I will admit I'm still pretty bad at speaking italian, but hopefully I'll get better. My professor is really enthusiastic, and is also serving as my Ricci mentor. His enthusiasm in class and for my project is great, and I'm sure will help keep me excited and on task throughout the semester. He also has a great connection at the Vatican for me to talk to! Although my ricci project is making me nervous hopefully I will get started and all will go well. I also have theology of pilgrimage with the wonderful Fr. Bohr. A huge chunk of the grade for that class is writing a journal about our pilgrimages to sacred sites in Italy and other European countries which is completely perfect since I'm already doing that in this blog. It also ties in amazingly well with my sacred space research project. Even though I've only had one class with Fr. Bohr I can already tell that it will one of my favorites this semester. Plus for some of our classes we will be going onsite to see some churches in Rome!

The Spanish Steps

My introduction to voice class looks like it will be really fun, which is what I was hoping for since I will be spending so much time doing research. The professor is an well known opera singer who has sung at most of the major opera houses in Europe. Aside from her absolutely gorgeous voice she seems really nice, and I'm excited to have some time to enjoy singing some Italian songs. My baroque art class is going to be the challenging one, because it is an art history course and I have never taken art history before and the professor is already throwing around lots of impressive architecture and art terms. Art history really isn't my interest, but every other class will be onsite which makes it exciting. Next week instead of going to class we will be meeting at St. Peter's basilica!

The Trevi Fountain

Even though classes have started I have continued to try to see some more of Rome outside of the walls of the JFRC. I got to see the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. The Spanish Steps weren't anything spectacular in my opinion, but I think I will have to go back in the day time (since I was there at night). The Trevi Fountain did not disappoint. It was massive and before I could see it I could hear the roar of the water. It was beautiful, impressive, and packed with tons of people. Even though I didn't stay out long it was nice to see some of the famous sites of Rome. 

Every Step a Prayer

Yesterday the wonderful Fr. Al, our chaplain, took a huge group of rome center students to the Vatican. I had seen the outside of the Vatican at night, but not in the day and I hadn't been inside yet. It really felt like I was going on a pilgrimage as I got in the line that stretched around most of St. Peter's square. As we wound are way through the line and security checks I grew more and more excited. When I first stepped into St. Peter's Basilica it took my breath away.

It really did! I stood there in total awe of the beauty and sacredness. Then, I turned to my right and saw Michelangelo's Pieta and I was struck again with the beauty, grace, and sacredness of where I was and what I was seeing.

Pieta

 It was an indescribable experience, as though each step I took was a prayer. Every step was part of my pilgrimage and part of my prayer. The ceiling, the statues, the frescos, those who have come there before, and every single person making the sign of the cross or kneeling in prayer made that space holy.

St. Helena

One of the larger statues was of St. Helena, who is my patron saint. Again, it was simply amazing to see her statue and the pray to her in such a blessed place.

After we finished seeing St. Peter's Basilica we went bellow the basilica to see the tombs of the popes. Fr. Al told us that we would be able to see the tomb of Pope John Paul II. Hearing that I would be able to see John Paul II stirred my emotions deeply. It was a prayer of deepest sincerity as I walked past the tombs of the popes and finally stood in front of John Paul II. As I knelt down in front of his tomb tears began to glisten in my eyes and I was completely overcome by the spiritual power of the moment. It is extremely emotional even now as I am thinking back and writing about the experience. I prayed to John Paul II, and then words escaped me. There were no words to my prayers as all I could think or feel was the magnitude of John Paul II's love and how much I loved him too.



The whole experience of going to St. Peter's Basilica and the pope's tombs was a powerful spiritual experience, and another step on my ongoing pilgrimage here in Italy.

Rocks! (an ancient rubble adventure)

Me at the Colosseum

For anyone who knows me or my family we are big fans of rocks, and today I saw some of the most amazing ancient ruins. Today I saw the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Walking into the colosseum was like so many experiences in Rome - indescribable.

In the colosseum

I kept thinking about all of the people who had walked there before me: the emperors, the ancient Romans, the gladiators. I was walking on the same stone that they trod. It helped that right before I went to the colosseum a fantastic ancient history professor at the rome center gave us a presentation on the colosseum and roman forum. After his wonderful lecture I was able to imagine what the colosseum would have looked like and what would be going on when it was being used by the ancient romans. The views all around the colosseum were awesome.

Ancient Basilica

When we moved onto the roman forum we saw a ton of ancient ruins. There were lots of buildings, but one of my favorites was the ancient basilica. One side of the basilica is still mostly preserved, but then you have to imagine the other half. Even with most of the basilica gone I could imagine what it must have looked like in its glory. The parts of the ceiling that remain were incredible. They were detailed beautifully and were so grand it gave the whole site a feeling of majesty and splendor. I thought of Fr. Bly and Brother Ed when I saw sites similar to scenes from Spartacus and Ben Hur (especially the chariot race scene). Walking over, around, and through so much ancient history was a great experience, and the only downside was the ancient-ness of the ground. The rough stones didn't make my feet too happy, but it was totally worth it. I could have spent all day wondering through the mammoth forum, and hopefully I will have a chance to go back.

Inner Beauty - Orientation Trip Part 2

Exterior of Mausoleum

The second day of the orientation trip we went to Ravenna to see some of the oldest (5th & 6th century), most well preserved, and beautiful mosaics. When we got to the first sight our tour guide pointed out a small brick building that I would not have taken notice of when she pointed it out. She told us that inside were the oldest and some of the most famous mosaics in Europe. "The outside cannot prepare you for the inner beauty" she told us. I stepped inside the small unimportant looking Mausoleum Galla Placidia and I stood in awe. It was beautiful, glistening with walls and a ceiling of intricate gorgeous mosaics.

Interior of Mausoleum 

The guide had been right I wasn't prepared for the beauty within. That sentiment really stuck me and got me thinking about how with people too we cannot be prepared for inner beauty.

Exterior of San Vitale

We then journeyed to another place keeping that blessed sentiment of inner beauty in mind and experienced again the inner beauty disguised by a simple exterior at San Vitale.

inside of San Vitale

It was filled with incredible mosaics! I also learned that Dante wrote part of Paridisio of the Divine Comedy in Ravenna and later we saw his tomb. We also visited a beautiful baptistry and Sant Apollinare Nuovo. Ravenna was such a beautiful town, and I loved the time we had to wander around the streets.

View from San Marino

The next day we went to San Marino which is a small republic situated on top of a mountain surrounded by Italy. The views were amazing, and my friend Laura and I headed up to the top of the city to see the fortress. It was incredible walking around this fortress. We saw a castle, prison cells, and even climbed to the top of the guard tower. This wasn't easy! We had to clim up some wooden steps that turned into sketchy metal rungs going straight up into a trap door in the floor of the tower. I was a little skeptical of the climb, but it was totally worth it, and once inside we climbed another two levels to the very top. All together the trip was great, but I'm glad to be back in Rome now so I can start exploring here.

San Marino 

Peace & Prayer - Orientation Trip Part 1

me on the way to Assisi

Everyone at the Rome Center goes on an orientation trip together, and our trip was wonderful. Aside from all the extremely frustrating logistics, late arrivals, inaccurate information from the SLA's, and questionable speeches, it was fantastic. Really! I got to go see three amazing cities in Italy: Assisi, Ravenna, and San Marino (which isn't technically Italian but is surrounded by Italy).

Assisi

Our first stop was Assisi, and aside from my glimpse of the Vatican, it began my journeys to the sacred. The two upper levels of the Basilica of St. Francis were beautiful, but the lower level where the tomb of St. Francis is was incredible. As soon as I can down the steps there was an indescribable yet tangible presence. There was a reverence in the simple stones, in the dimness, in those kneeling before St. Francis in silent prayer. In that moment I felt blessed and compelled by the peace St. Francis promised, to pray. I could have stayed there and prayed so much longer than the limit given by our tour. The desire to fervently pray for peace in myself, my family, and in the world was so strong and drove my heart in prayer. I felt so filled with peace and as I came up from the tomb I was reminded of how Thich Nhat Hanh believes that "peace is already present in each step, and if we walk this way, a flower will bloom under our feet with every step." Our tour guide had told us that St. Francis's had blessed Assisi and said that people would find peace in Assisi. I certainly felt the peace of St. Francis, and could feel the blossoms of each step as I left the basilica.

Saint Clare Basilica

The part of the trip that stands out most to me was seeing the cross that originally spoke to St. Francis. Our tour guide asked that we all sit in front of the cross which is now hanging in the basilica of St. Clare and pray. It was another indescribable experience to sit in front of the cross that spoke to St. Francis and pray for guidance. The chapel was so simple and perfect since I don't know who could possibly gaze away from the beautiful and blessed cross. Assisi was beautiful and a powerful example of the sacred. It left me feeling like a statue I saw of St. Francis clinging to the crucifix from which Christ reaches out His loving arm; feeling as though I must cling to this peace and the loving arm of Christ who makes all things possible.