Day 1: ROMEing

Day 1 was crazy hectic and confusing.

First off, our flight got in an hour late into Fiumiccino Airport. So by the tight schedule I had written up, our freshening up time at the apartment was pretty much gone. It took us an hour to get to the apartment. We had had breakfast on the plane and immediately ran to one of the museums, Villa Borghese.

The Villa Borghese is where the Borghese family lived and this was their plot land. Their immediate residence has now been turned into a fantastic museum and their estate is acres wide and can be thought of as Rome's version of Central Park (but lets be real, nothing compares to how much I love central park.) The museum had very strict rules and no photos were allowed of any of the sculptures inside.
The Villa Borghese houses a sculpture called "Paulina Borghese as Venus" sculpted by Antonio Canova which was deemed too risque by Paulina's husband that it was originally hidden away after completion and even Canova was not allowed to see what would be considered a masterpiece with a story. Looking at the sculpture, the most amazing part to me is the mattress. You can see the different folds created by the weight of the woman and that impeccable detail is what intrigues me most about sculptures. I have a ton more sculptures to discuss though so I might get boring if I have not already bored you.

LOOK AT ALL THE DETAIL. HOW DOES A PERSON CARVE
MARBLE TO SUCH PERFECTION?!

Following this museum visit, we walked around the park trying to find out way back to the main road by navigating the Italian map which we did not understand one bit. Somehow, we made our way to the main road and stopped to have gelato; which by the way, is absolutely creamy and delicious. We kept walking because we thought things were close by, but we were quick to learn that the metro maps are deceptive because they name stops after the monuments that they are "close" to when in reality they aren't very near by. So we walked. and walked. and walked some more until we hit Trevi Fountain which was carved and sculpted by Bernini and depicts Poseidon and this sea kingdom.

Me and the Brother at Trevi. I liked it better at night, that comes
with Day 2. 

After Trevi, we went on this hunt for a gelato shop that my dad heard about from a friend that was supposedly the best gelato in Rome. We looked and walked up and down streets for about an hour and finally found it but had to be somewhere so ended up not getting any gelato. Fail. We had to make it back to the spanish steps for a free walking tour that we signed up for. We got to the steps, waited around a bit and met our guide who took us to a church which had Bernini's two original angels which was a magnificent sight. After that, he took us around a bunch of side streets and we were dead tired from having no sleep on the plane and losing those hours that we silently skipped out on his tour and found a restaurant around our apartment and had italian margherita pizza and penne arrabiata for the first time. I also think its interesting to note that they don't freely serve water at any restaurants and that its customary to drink wine with every meal from a young age. We get water for free at restaurants in the USA and I think we taked that for granted. Also, they call club soda "water with gas" which is scientifically correct i guess because of the carbon dioxide but it just sounds funny and interesting.

So after feeling incredibly beat up, we ended day one because we had to wake up bright and early at 6 AM to get ready for day two which consisted of visiting Naples and Pompeii which was breathtaking.

Ro <3

Back

WOW.

I'm back home and currently sitting in my room, in the dark, under the covers, trying to stay awake against the jetlag. It is three in the morning Rome time.

I got back from Italy yesterday, bringing back with me no souvenirs better than the amazing experience I had. I was able to cross everything off of my list of sights to see! But doing so was a hectic process haha

We walked and walked and walked and walked EVERYWHERE until we decided to get smart and figure out the metro, bus, and tram systems. As great as Rome is, it only has two metro lines. Being used to New York's subway system, that is simply unacceptable. It was inconvenient because we always had to take one line to the station where the lines crossed to switch onto the other line if we needed to go somewhere. But it was a new experience. Getting me ready for Paris and all.

But it was an incredible trip. Spending 6 days with the family was...interesting. I now don't want to be home with them at all for drawn out periods of time, I have gotten my fill for the week haha. However, having no internet and "bonding" with them was what I imagine is considered "detox" for our generation as my dad so eloquently put it.

There were so many beautiful things around the city but the main theme that I saw everywhere that I thoroughly enjoyed was the juxtaposition of the old and new. The Roman government has done an excellent job in maintaining the old ruins that the modern city is now built on. They have done such a good job that you can see history ranging from B.C. times to modern day from every street, and view possible.

Rome is called the "Eternal City" because it is ever changing, but always preserved, eternal and existent. What once existed, remains, as an ode to the olden days and times. The history is so rich and I am glad that I was able to experience it. I hope that everyone gets a chance to experience the realizations of wishes that they have. 

TODAY

EEEEEEEEEEEP!!!

AH today is finally here! I officially leave for Rome tonight.
Its going to be such a hectic trip. Being a tourist is never a relaxing experience, but this will definitely be an unforgettable one. Or at least I'm going to make it very memorable.

My itinerary is crazy, but since my dad basically told me to plan our trip, I have packing in everything that I want to see and that I have learned about in my Art History class. This whole summer is going to be centraled around art. I'll probably be sick of it in the fall. Paris is going to be all art, everyday.

ANYWAYS, this is my plan for Rome:

Day 1: Arrive! Ciao in Italia! go to our apartment, settle in and grab a quick lunch. We're then going to go to the Borghese  gallery where a lot of Bernini sculptures are housed including his rendition of David. Its much different from Michelangelo's David because this sculpture is more dynamic. It is in a very 3D form in the sense that Bernini has depicted movement. David has a slingshot in his hand and has his body twisted as he pulls back on the slingshot to make his move against goliath. Here it is:

After the museum and its impressive art collection, we are going to walk around the many Piazza's that are reflective of Rome and the Italian lifestyle. I really want to go to Piazza Navona because there's another Bernini sculpture there, and because it was an integral part of Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. (My trips based around Robert Langdon and all the places that he's made to explore in Rome...kinda but not really.) To end the day, we are going to take a walking tour where we will start at the Spanish Steps, walk around Trevi Fountain, see the Pantheon and take in the Italian Culture. Sidenote: I really want to eat pizza for dinner.

Day 2: Wake up at the crack of dawn and take a train to Naples for a day trip tour. We will have pizza here in the birthplace of pizza! After breaking for lunch, we are heading to the preserved city of Pompeii. We might even get a chance to explore and climb up Mount Vesuvius. All my childhood, I have been fascinated by Greek and Roman mythology and ancient history. I will finally be able to have a first hand experience!

Day 3: This will be a Saturday and we are going to spend the day at the Vatican. Walking around St. Peters and going inside the basilica should be fascinating. We are going to go through the vatican museums and see everything that is there and end up at the Sistine Chapel. Craning my neck, I'll see all the Ignudi's, prophets and sibyls, and straight ahead will be The Last Judgement. I'm also really excited to see a vatican swiss guard in his official outfit.

We might walk around some more that day, just relax.

Day 4: Another crazy day trip! We are heading to Florence this time and will have a couple hours to do a lot. I really want to go to the Uffizi museum which houses a lot of great pieces of Art from Caravaggio, Raphael, Michelangelo and other great Renaissance Artists. (I also aim to see art by ALL the ninja turtles: Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, and Leonardo of course.) We are also going to the Galeria d'Academia which houses the original David by Michelangelo. I also want to go to the Duomo, which is a big cathedral built and planned by Fillippo Brunelleschi. Its engineered amazingly.

Il Duomo from the Outside

Inside the dome!

                                   
Day 5: Our Last day! This day we are going to relax and finally go see the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Where the gladiators faced off against lions and each other, this ancient world wonder is one of the most visited wonders in the world. It will be a good way to cap off the trip and say Addio Italia!

I am really looking forward to this trip as I will also start to become accustomed to dealing with european money and ideals which I will fully immerse myself into when I am in Paris. I am going to make the best of this trip. And document this with as many pictures as I can take. Summer starts now!

Sidenote: looking forward to eating gelato, authentic tiramisu, canolis and other delicious italian pastries. All the walking I will be doing will keep off my weight, right? Let's hope so. Same goes for paris will all the baguettes and goat cheese I will be living off of.

TIRAMISU - one of my absolute favorite desserts. 

I will only be posting after I get back but until then, see ya later!
Ro :)

History

I think that knowledge of history of a place is incredibly important before you travel there. 

Wether it is from ancient times, or an understanding of modern issues, this knowledge will contribute to your appreciation of said place and help to enjoy its culture. 

Rome is full of ancient history and it has been preserved in an impeccable manner. I'm going to be surrounded by ancient aqueducts, old city walls, and I'll get to see the colosseum where the gladiators fought to the death. (I wonder if there are many ghosts that haunt the colosseum...hmmm.) I'm intrigued by the preservation of such ancient architectural wonders. After the colosseum, just walking around Rome and taking in the Pantheon and its oculus, the spanish steps and Trevi Fountain (where I will NOT pull a Lizzie McGuire and become and international pop sensation, don't worry) and other such preserved structures in the city.  

I enjoy art and architecture SO MUCH. Hopefully this trip goes well considering that my parents don't really understand or appreciate it like I do. I hope they don't complain the whole time and ruin what I want to be a great time. 

Hoboken

Also,


in addition to the previous post about all the baked goods at Carlo's, I have to add that Hoboken has a BEAUTIFUL park and view of the city skyline from across the river.

View of Freedom Tower

Hoboken Park

Empire State Building

Ro :)

The Beginning.

Hi there!

So today is Thursday, May 17th, 2012. In one week, I will be groggy, but excitedly standing in the city of many an ancient lore, Rome! Yes, I will be in Italy, where all my european adventures will begin.

I'm writing this blog so that when I am galavanting across the globe, I will have a place to record all my stories and the crazy shenanigans I will inevitably find myself in, because I am always placed in interesting situations.

I am exactly one week out of school and have not done much. Well, I went to Edison to visit my friend, who was supposed to be my roommate, who transferred to Georgetown last year and had breakfast with her and then had lunch and a froyo run with another one of my really good friends. I've also decided, that whoever lives with me my senior year, if they are applying to transfer to a better university than Rutgers, they should agree to live with me because they will get accepted. This has now happened two years in a row, first Georgetown and then UPenn. Good for them, and I'd like to think I'm their lucky charm, just let me have it.

Today, I went to Hoboken with one of my friends. We went last year too so now this is becoming a yearly tradition. Going to Carlo's bakery after school is out is the IN thing to do. We both love the show Cake Boss so we decided to go in July last year and got stuck in a queue that made us wait two hours before going into the bakery for barely 5 minutes. This year, we went before the high schools were out and everyone was on summer vacay so there was no wait! It was crazy!

THIS YEAR:                                                         vs.                LAST YEAR:
                       
In addition to the lack of lines, we got great italian desserts. In this blog, you can expect a lot of pictures, of places I go to, sights I see, and crazy things I do. But most importantly, you'll see a lot of pictures of food, or so I plan on posting lots of pictures of food. I LOVE FOOD. So, might as well start with today's gastronomic experience!

Lobster tail, canolis, raspberry rugelacl

another lobster tail, chocolate cream puff
and raspberry rugelack

So after today's summer adventure, I am really excited for everything else I have to look forward to. Starting my escapades in Rome, then seeing some Jersey "sights" (the beach, Princeton), I head off to Paris for a solid 5 weeks to study Art History in a cultural hub. I come back home after that and will probably make a couple trips to the city, go explore MoMA and the Guggenheim museums (as if my summer won't have enough museums already) and then cap it all off with 10 days in Spain. That is my summer in a nutshell and this is to document all of that.

I am SO looking forward to getting my passport stamped multiple times. Also, send me your addresses of where you will be between June 10th and July 15th so I can send you a surprise postcard! :)

Much love.
Ro