Venice

Hello all- please forgive us since we have been running around for the past few days and haven't been able to blog. Since Milan, we arrived in Venice via bus and water taxi. That's right- water taxi. Welcome to the land of streets filled with water. Our hotel is located conveniently a few steps away from San Marco's Square-which we soon learned is filled with birds and tourists-and birds on tourists...

We received passes that got us into 16 different churches all around the city. As we were holding maps trying to find our way to each church, many of us found the other joy famous in Venice- shopping. The shops here are filled with the famous Murano Glass and masks. Oh the joy of mask shopping. Each mask here is decorated personally by each shop owner, making them unique to the individual. Unfortunately, we were quickly scolded when trying to take pictures with the masks-so you can use your own imagination. Masks here are used during the famous "Carnival," which we are missing by one week.

Yesterday, we traveled by boat to a glass factory where we were able to see the process of creating everything from glass vases to glass horses. It was so interesting! Glass makers usually train under a qualified master for 10 years until they are able to create their own works. Each worker only has about 3 minutes to create their glass sculpture. It was incredible to see with our own eyes. The day ended with a
guided water boat tour along the famous Grand Canal!

We also had tickets for a performance at the famous opera house, La Fenice. It was the most beautiful theater we have ever seen. We walked in and were astonished by the famous gold ceilings and balconies we had studied in the fall. The performance was simply beautiful- It included some of the best string musicians who played in perfect unison. Something we will never forget!

Other visits included the famous Academia and the Guggenheim Museum!

Tomorrow, we are off to Ravenna for a day and night-then, we sadly travel back to Rome for one last visit before we come home!

-EloninItaly

More pictures!

Some of the group in Sienna.

At the Trevi Fountain in Rome

View from the top of a building in Sienna!

Milan!

After a breakfast at the Fenice Palace, we set off for our four hour trip to Milan. Upon arrival, we had about an hour to wonder around the fashion capital of Italy. Never before during this course have we stuck out so much as Americans. We met up at La Scala, an opera house where we originally had booked opera tickets. Unfortunately, the opera is on strike. We had the opportunity to watch some singers rehearse for a concert. They were amazing and had everyone’s jaws dropped to the floor.

 The class moved to the Duomo, one of the largest gothic style cathedrals in the world. We could not walk to the top today because the fog was so thick that the top could barely be seen from the ground. Hopefully we will have clear weather and make the climb up tomorrow! Milan looks promising for shopping. Tomorrow we will see Di Vinci’s “The Last Supper” and take advantage of free time during the day and evening. Ciao!

Florence

THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD.  Florence was a highly anticipated adventure for many of us on the trip and we really could not contain our excitement on the bus as we pulled into town. After checking into the hotel and settling ourselves in, we headed out for dinner and some Florentine nightlife at a few of the local pubs in the neighborhood. We had such a wonderful time kicking back together as a group and it really allowed us to bond; we’re so lucky that we’re all getting along so well! Some of us were even able to meet up with the Elon Cathedral Tour!

The next morning we realized exactly how close our hotel was to the Durmo and Baptistery (less than 1 block..) as we started our tour by observing both the magnificent buildings. We then headed to the Bargello gallery where we saw Donatella’s “David” as well as the Medici tombs. In the afternoon many of us accomplished some of the leather shopping we had been dreaming about all this time and hit a few other tourist hot spots. Our afternoon was spent at the Uffizi with an amazing tour guide, who looked a little like an Italian George Clooney, and saw some of the most groundbreaking artistic achievements in the world.

Our second full day consisted of a morning at San Marco, shopping on the Ponte Vecchio, and, for some of us, a much needed laundry session. In the afternoon we crossed the river and visited the Pitti Palace, which looked like our idea of the ideal summer home! For dinner that night a group got Chinese while another headed out to a local discotheque called SPACE, which had been highly anticipated for many a night. It was a great sendoff after a wonderful couple of days in the city and we were all sad to leave the next morning. If only we had more time! Off to Milan!

Assisi

After a long bus ride, we finally arrived in Assisi. Now, many people know Assisi from the famous Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of not only animals, but of nature and the environment.

We were guided around by the best guide so far on our trip- Giuseppe…we could literally listen to him speak all day. He led us around to the Santa Chiara and the Assisi Cathedral and taught us that many of the churches were built with the same structure as an upside-down boat. He also shared that the ceiling was painted with a blue night sky because all of our prayers travel up to the sky. Throughout the walk along the streets of the quiet city, everyone could not stop admiring the beautiful architecture and the cobblestone streets.

Watching the sunset around the cathedral was simply breathtaking. Being in a city that is so full and rich in history made us all very humble for our existence. Tomorrow, we head off to Florence with a stop in Sienna for a visit to the Duomo, a museum, and some shopping!

Capri

 Have you ever climbed to the top of a mountain on an island off the coast of southern Italy? We have! After spending the morning at the archaeological museum in Naples, twelve of us took a day trip to Capri. After figuring out the ferry system, we hopped on an afternoon ferry to the beautiful island about an hour off the coast. The sun was shining and we loved getting some fresh air. When we got there we were amazed at the beautiful island and the town that we could see at the top of the mountain. We immediately knew that we had to go as high as possible to fully experience Capri, so we followed the winding roads and steep staircases until we all broke a sweat. Props to Mary for tackling the quest with a broken foot! We got so excited when we saw signs pointing to the center of town, and our exhaustion was replaced with excitement. At the center of the island was an amazing town square with the cutest jewelry shops, gelaterias and clothing stores. We did some shopping and explored, taking in the amazing view and how high we had climbed. At the end of the day we took a bus down the mountain and caught a ferry back to Naples. New jewelry, bonding time with the girls and one beautiful island? Definitely made for one of the best experiences we’ve had so far! 

Naples

So today we are in Naples.  We got to sleep in and wake up to an amazing breakfast overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea while eating all you can eat Neutella. Neutella is like pure gold-except for Melissa-who is allergic…Hopefully Elon can stock up on that before we get back. I’m thinking that would be the best on some Acorn bagels. Maybe we will find her another commodity to eat.

We spent the afternoon exploring the Capodimonte Museum at the top of a mountain and the park that surrounds it. 

Tomorrow we are off to another museum and then leave for Assisi the next day.

Until the next city!

-EloninItaly  

Pictures

 Saint Peter's Square

 Johnny found some Italian friends and played a game of frisbee

Daniel in front of St. Peter's Cathedral!

 In the garden at Capodimonte in Naples on Sunday.

In front of the Spanish Steps in Rome on Friday.

DAY FIVE - Pompeii

Pompeii

We departed Rome today for Pompeii, a town of ancient ruins from A.D. 79, which was demolished from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.  Excavation from 1748 revealed paintings and sculptures from the city before the tragedy, including multiple pieces of pottery and petrified bodies.  Walking around the city took a total of 4 hours, and was rather treacherous due to large, uneven stones and dirt.  We saw destroyed homes, Apollo’s temple, and even stray dogs!  There were some awesome views of Vesuvius and the Tyrrhenian Sea. 

We then hopped back on the bus for a quick ride to our hotel in Naples.  Most of us enjoyed some delicious Margherita pizza for dinner, which originated in Naples.  Later, we stumbled upon the rooftop of the hotel where we bonded and enjoyed a beautiful night view of Naples. 

-EloninItaly  

The Vatican

The Vatican

Today we started out the day at the Vatican for a tour with our live guide; good thing Elon bought our tickets early because the lines were already out the door! Inside the museum we started to wind our way through the hallways containing years of artifacts from cultures all across the world. There were whole rooms full of tapestries, maps, and marble busts of the Popes of the past. Our guide did a really wonderful job narrating the history of the building and the Catholic Church for those of us that were less well versed than others. The highlights included Raphael’s “School of Athens” and, of course, the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. 

There was also some great contemporary Christian art included in the galleries, which was interesting to view. Our tour also included entrance to St. Peters Basilica, one of the most famous landmarks for the Roman Catholic community.

After the tour we had the rest of the afternoon off. Some of the hotspots that groups hit were: The Spanish Steps, The Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon.

Ciao!

-EloninItaly  

ROME III

Today we got to see the Roman Forum and the Coliseum! It was crazy to be able to walk down the block to such a historical site we’d been hearing about our whole lives. We had a guide for the day and she told us all about the gladiators in the Coliseum, the building itself, and the games held there. Being there made it so easy to imagine the Coliseum in its glory. We had time to walk around, explore and take lots of pictures!

We walked over to the Forum and were able to see the place were Julius Caesar was cremated.

After that, we split off to explore Rome on our own and find lunch. 

Some of us went to the Vatican since it was the celebration of the Epiphany. After mass, Pope Benedict XVI spoke out of his window to speak to the huge crowd of visitors below. We were in disbelief that we were actually there. He spoke for about 20 minutes and towards the end said a prayer in English! It’s amazing how many languages he speaks.

THE POPE!

Thousands of people showed up to listen-we fought our way through every one!

In the late afternoon we met at the Borghese museum and saw all types of different artwork. We saw the Sacred and the Profane Love piece as well as the Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne. Afterwards, we are all able to experience the city on our own. Having learned how difficult it was to split the check 17 different ways, we all went off in groups of about 3 or 4 to make dinner a bit easier. The only thing we wish we could have done was to have more group meals together-but-good thing we can all agree on gelato… A great first full day in Rome!

Arrivederci!

-EloninItaly  

DAY TWO- Tarquinia

The bus ride to Tarquinia was actually like riding through a live Italian postcard. We passed by olive groves, orange trees and sheep herds before climbing the massive hill to the tomb site. We spilt off into small groups, traversing the hillside and getting to know each other as we explored the dark chambers and elaborately painted frescos. We spent about an hour walking around and then we were completely ready for some fuel; it seemed like days since we had eaten dinner at JFK!

The town was full of lovely little restaurants that served traditional Italian dishes and, of course, fantastic wine! It was great to sit down, rest our feet and refuel for the afternoon ahead.  There was lots of pasta, bread and laughter as we tried to work our way through the menu and communicate with our very Italian waiter; it was definitely a good reminder of the language barrier.

We had our first experience with paying in Euros and made our way to the museum.

Walking into the town museum was like walking into the most fantastic house you could ever imagine, complete with a marble courtyard. Here we had the chance to see the scarcophgi that had been removed from the tombs and some great pottery that showcased the Greek influence on Etruscan art. There was also a wonderful view from the third floor of the building, from which we could see all the way to the Mediterranean.

-EloninItaly WT 2011

Are we there yet?

“Meet everyone at JKF and we will fly out from there.” Sounds simple- keyword-sounds. A lot of us got there at different hours of the day. Some missed flights to JFK and others were there all day to catch the flight out to Rome at 7:30PM. Hours later, we all make awkward eye contact and figure out we were all on the same trip-finally-people to hang out with. Everyone was planning on just sleeping on the plane, but the seats we passed in first class seemed a bit nicer than ours (the seats folded down into a bed-A BED!). Little kids were kicking on the back of seats but the personal TV’s made the trip a little nice, so for that, we thank you coat seating.

Nine hours in the air and only 45 mins of sleep later- we arrive in Rome. Finally realizing that we have made it was a feeling I could never explain. So-to parents, this is a specific thank you for allowing us to go on this amazing journey. Hopefully we will not disappoint you…see you in a bit for more stories and PICTURES! 

-EloninItaly WT 2011