The Praha Experience!

Ahoj friends . . . after a pretty long train ride from Budapest via Wien, we arrived in Prague, a short metro stop and a quick check in later, we were upgraded in hostel room size to a four bed room for just us two.  The extra space has been super nice.  Once again, our Bednar name rang a bell with the Czechs at the front desk, with perfect pronunciation I might add.  My genes seem to be telling me I’m home haha.  We have a nice long extended stay in Prague with four full days before we’re off to Frankfurt.  We’ve come to love cities with Metros and spacious hostel rooms with hot water that lasts longer than a few minutes!  Other than the fact that we might be staying by a private dancer’s club, we are liking our street view stay.

Magen and I quickly decided that, so far, Prague has the best food (trying my luck at beef goulash and other pork dishes has resulted in a palette screaming woo-hoo!), Rome had the best wine, Salzburg had the friendliest people, Vienna had the best weather, Budapest had the best coffee (cappuccinos seem to be our café break of choice), they all have their fair share of good looking women, and the rest is yet to be determined!  The desserts are what really tempt our sweet tooth’s here in Praha.  With apple strudel, raspberry kolaches, and various cakes of awesome-ness, these sugar addicted Americans are finding bliss.  Our appetites are surprising both of us, but rightly so as active as we are throughout the day walking around, losing a few pounds but not because I’m not eating believe me!  I feel like Poppie, the most Czech in the family, would love it here and I wish he could visit someday, I have a feeling he would pick up the language again in no time.  My lingo is limited too “poo-peck” (sp?) meaning bellybutton.

We’ve ventured out into the beautiful city starting with the Jewish Quarter where limited pictures could be taken (Maisel – Spanish – Pinkas – Klaus Synagogue, Jewish Cemetery, and the Ceremonial Hall).  An interesting series to see, based on beliefs that unfortunately are pretty foreign to me, but overall a very sad story of prejudice and ultimate survival.  My favorite part was a collection of abstract art on display created by young Jewish children that were forced to live in the first ghetto of Praha, expressing their daily strife and where they seemed to find hope, pretty powerful stuff for 8 year olds, most of whom did not survive.  A humbling experience to say the least.

King Charles’ Bridge was another highlight of the day where we made sure to stop and make a wish at the 5 star relic on the north end.  Across the bridge we found some sort of amazing pink strawberry slushy that managed to get our return business again the next day, along with their form of a hot dog.

            We’ve also seen the Astronomical Clock in action which has a pretty neat design created by ancient philosophers, telling three different time scales all at once, and scrolls through the 12 Apostles at every hour along with a live trumpet serenade. 

Prague Castle held an exciting experience for us, it turned out to be Armed Forces day and we were treated to a parade with live bands, a motorcycle show, and the original 1960’s BMW cycle that was first used in the local forces.  Then the president of the Czech Republic came riding out on a horse!  Seemed to be a pretty big deal, even with the locals, and a nice treat of an unexpected show.  The castle, like all of them, was an entire city in itself back in the day.  The Czechs have experienced a great deal of harsh and unwelcome authority throughout the ages, and survival along with a commitment to freedom is a huge theme here (Go Czechs!). 

St. Vitcus Cathedral, within the castle, held an amazing surprise of some of the most gorgeous stained glass windows that I’ve ever seen in my life.  Each one was bursting with colors and so detailed.  With limited access, without having to pay, we were treated to the majority of them and shot some rewarding pictures, even though there’s no way that pictures could do them justice.  There was also one of the better managed gardens that we’ve seen that was a nice little stroll.

Walking through the rest of old town we found Lennon’s wall.  A fantastic collection of graffiti along a 30 meter stretch of wall dedicated to the ideals of John Lennon (peace, love, imagination, believing, etc.).  Definitely an abstract representation of the open minded that I’m quite sure sends a variety of different messages to its many viewers and artists every year.  We really liked the wall and hopefully captured some great background pictures.  The wall lies close to a university, where students back in the day stayed committed to capturing their messages on the wall, and eventually won the battle with the authorities who eventually gave up, now it’s a popular tourist attraction, especially to our generation. 

Magen and I decided to give the local arts a try also.  I, in particular, wanted to see an opera that was advertised online, but after being corrected by the ticket salesman that opera is out of season and it was actually a ballet that night, we quickly decided to invest anyways.  We bought the cheapest tickets which placed us on the back top row center for 100 CZK’s (about $5), but ended up loving our seats with a full stage view.  The ballet was titled Onegin, and was performed at the National Theatre @ 19:00.  Just being in the National Theatre was an experience in itself, the design and history radiated from its multiple curved levels, dimly lit atmosphere, and felt covered seating.  Onegin was an impressively danced ballet focusing around a lost love due to foolish pride.  I can now see why many experts label ballet as a sport of masculine demands, balancing the power with such grace was extremely impressive to watch. 

We’ve also done our fair share of street strolling, and I’ve decided that our breakfasts @ the Paneria is probably my favorite thing to do!  A cappuccino and a raspberry pastry is all it takes to put a smile on my face.

The Dancing House Buildings, inspired by a witty American architect, was a nice little outside of the box viewing also.

Today we’ve spent a lot of time in the nearby park, where we ate a take away lunch (their term for To Go) and decided to return to write this blog, let Magen indulge in her reading hobby, people watch, and quickly review snapped pictures.  All I can do is feel sorry for the friends and family back home dealing with the scorching hot weather and parched countryside.  I’m truly loving every minute of the literally carefree backpacker’s lifestyle, living with limited amenities helps you realize how little we truly need, and the average temperature of 70 degrees isn’t bad either!  I’m trying my best to make the absolute most of it. 

Oh, and I finally found some peanut butter, it’s Skippy instead of Peter Pan, but it will definitely do!  Magen had a good laugh at my happy dance.

The adventure isn’t over but is flying fast.  I’m sure I’m missing parts of the story but it’s hard to capture every great moment we incur along the way. 

Thanks for reading friends and until next time I’ll be missing you and truly hope that someday, you too, can have the Praha experience!  Ciao for now.

See the following public Facebook link for pictures: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100296530058348.2638305.16737784&l=5d8c276f41

The Next Leg Completed!

Well the second day in Vienna was even more rewarding than the first.  We toured the Hofburg Palace, Sisi Museum, Imperial Apartments, and the Treasury. 

The Hapbsburg Dynasty dominated the Austro-Hungarian Empire for many years.  The palace was just one of the many buildings built during their rule.  We toured through countless rooms of pure dinnerware that ranged from porcelain and gold, to silver and bronze.  The amount of pieces for one formal dinner was insane, and the fact that they had so many options to choose from, each set being designed by a famous artist of the time from across the European circuit.  Pretty impressive to realize people actually eat off what we just display in china cabinets these days.

After the impressive and expensive sets of dining accessories we found our way to the Sisi museum which we unfortunately could not take pictures in.  The museum highlights the life and personality of Sisi, wife of Franz Joseph I.  A common girl that caught the eye of royalty stealing what was meant for her sister, she found herself in a world of “to-do’s” that she felt trapped in.  Her emotional state varied throughout her life and bounced back and forth between rational and irrational behavior, from conservative court rulings to boisterous outspoken opinions.  She was a lady of many colors to say the least.  She’s most known for her long hair and well trimmed figure that was only 21” at age 50 after 4 children.  She would sit in a chair 3-4 hours a day getting her hair brushed by servants; she put the time to good use and learned several different languages.  She was a huge player in the agreements that helped free Hungary.  She was obsessed with appearance and with high intensity exercising and strict dieting managed to age her body quickly.  After her son’s suicide she fell into deep depression and found comfort in the riskiness of adventure which led her to common travel by sea and across Europe.  Dressing only in black and avoiding any public viewings of her face she eventually found her tragic death, murder by knife.  Just a commoner pushed into the life of royalty that felt confined with little escape but challenging life itself.  Interesting story to say the least, Magen and I really liked her character. We also walked through a series of Imperial Apartments where the family stayed on a daily basis (couldn’t take pictures here either) but also pretty extravagant.   

Afterwards we grabbed a lunch outside in the park in front of the Library, where a health expo was going on, we had some Chinese noodles with shrimp and curry sauce, pretty delic’!  Then we ventured into the Hofburg Treasury, holding crowns, sashes, jewels, and all.  The authentic crowns were an impressive sight to see, and to think that people actually used to wear those, but also lived a life where they came to expect that extravagance is just insane.  An impressive collection that seemed a bit like a fairy tale.  The best part though was the religious relics that came next.  We witnessed a piece that’s believed to have come from the True Cross!  Next to it was the spear believed to have struck the side of Christ, historians still debate but the spear was found outside of Jerusalem and had inscribed on it its past usage.  Not sure if either is real or not but a pretty impressive presence and gateway to such an important part of what drives our religious beliefs today, I’m truly humbled!  There was also a group of the following: a tooth from John the Baptist, a piece of Jesus’ loin cloth, a piece from the Last Supper tablecloth, and a piece of wood from Christ’s Manger.  Truly an inspiring collection that I’m honored to have laid eyes upon, guess it just comes down to faith which I’m not having much trouble finding these days!  Magen and I bet the Vatican would die to have many of these pieces, and are pretty sure they’ve tried attaining them.  If you ever come to Vienna, Hofburg Treasury is a must see. 

The next morning brought a comfortable train ride to Budapest, Hungary!  After quickly finding our Red Bus Hostel, where the service desk recognized our last name and asked if we were Hungarian we told him Czech and he said pretty much the same thing haha, we ventured out into the city.  Starting at the Parliament Building in Pest where some sort of conference was happening with Chinese diplomats, we watched a group of rowers pass by on the Danube (river separating Buda and Pest), and then crossed the Chain Bridge to Buda where we walked around Castle Hill.  Magen and I are already both in love with the city.  It’s a city that’s found its way back to life after two different periods of war torn tragedies.  With an updated and polished rebuilding at the beginning of the millennia Budapest has managed to maintain a genuine character that can be found in every nook and cranny of its many streets.  Every building has a personality of its own and no two look alike.  The past is clearly evident on many of the unfurbished buildings while others have a new sparkle.  Our hostel sits inside one of the buildings with a past, each stair and bent railing seems to tell a different part of its story, a truly unique place to continue our adventure.  It’s been a bit confusing operating in the currency of Forints but just another exciting part of our wild travels.  Pretty much they just multiply by two and take away the decimal. 

Today we ventured around Pest focusing in particular around City Park.  We treated ourselves to a morning soaking in the thermal healing baths that Rick Steves has made so famous.  We rented all we needed and stepped out into a world of local Hungarians in speedos seeming to be in a ‘who has the biggest belly’ competition.  There were 3 different pools, one for relaxing, the next for exercise, and the last for play.  We soaked in the relaxation pool that’s heated and fed by the natural springs under the city.  The waters remain untreated and, being rich in minerals, are known for healing the soul.  Heal our souls and relax our minds it did, quite a Hungarian experience that I looked forward to and now can cross off the list!  After carousing through several statues, limited street vendors, and various churches we found ourselves at a little café where we had some really good chicken, which seems to be few and far between here, the popular choices are fish and pork.  We’re currently taking it easy in the hostel, having come on the weekend several places seem to be closed this overcast Sunday with a high of 70 degrees (so nice).  We really wanted to witness the Great Market Hall but unfortunately that will have to wait for another day.  We also wanted to see an opera, but from late June to late September it’s the season for outdoor music performances so no showtimes were listed.  Maybe we can manage this at another stop soon. 

This just in, 6000 forint fine for using the metro with an expired day ticket.  Not our fault, the ticket stations were closed before we got on, the machine was out of order, the one shop open didn’t sell tickets, and it just happened to be ticket patrol day LOL!  The older ladies patrolling were nice though and gave us an option to buy a Budapest card for cheaper, annoying, but all part of the adventure, Magen and I had a good laugh over the ‘tourist conspiracy’!  Good times in Budapest. 

Budapest is truly a unique city with a past life and a thriving present, which gives a sense of pride and lasting commitment inspiring to any traveler.  So glad we made it a must on our list.

Next up, Prague, Czech Republic, and a little family ancestry hopefully, Bednar = Barrel Makers!  Leaving in the morning on a 9:25 am train that should take around 7.25 hours.  Super excited about our next stop where we will manage to remain stationery for 5 whole days! 

For Vienna and Budapest pics click on the following public Facebook Link: 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100260400098078.2636255.16737784&l=e20d52210a

Excited about Praha, land of the Bednars!!!!!!!!!

The Adventure Begins!!

(It’s a long one)

Sorry for the delay readers, it’s been a whirlwind with limited internet access but we’re back now!

Well after a busy week of school last week, with Tiramisu making on Monday, two project presentations, one paper, and a test my study abroad in Asolo, Italy came to an end.  We literally took finals on Thursday morning and were shipped out of town by 2:30 that afternoon.  It all felt a little rushed but I loved my time at the campus there with its amazing views, local gelateria, pizza Tuesdays, the CIMBAnzees group, and my ongoing fight with the internet system, all in all it’s bittersweet.  I never thought I would enjoy the 4 week program as much as I did and also slam out 6 elective credits in the process.  The friends I made in the program were just icing on the cake that I will miss for sure, and it wasn’t goodbyes really more like see ya later’s.  If any of you CIMBAnzees are reading this I hope your extended travels or trips home find you safe.  I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to do what many students never get the chance to.  I actually learned quite a bit about Lean Principles, and Management of Technology & Innovation, the professors were top notch in my book, some understood the study abroad aspect of weekend travel more than others, but the two classes I ended up picking worked well together.  Still don’t know when or where to check my grades, but oh well lol!  Did it feel fast and a bit monotonous at times, yes, but so completely worth it.  I’m literally shocked the last four weeks are gone and time is moving on.  And above all else, it was the gateway into my European adventure with my sister-in-law Magen.  That is a completely different story all in itself!

Well Thursday afternoon brought my trip to Turin, Italy where I would be meeting Magen.  Arriving at dusk it was a bit scary after talking with a local Nigerian woman who pretty much told me Turin is sketch and to be extra careful with all the immigrants around, she also had some really nice things to say though and I wish her daughter (pending college graduation) the best of luck, and hope her wedding plans come to terms soon.  She did explain the enormous headache it was trying to get a visa for the US if you’re not a married woman.  There was also an Italian lady with long white hair that wouldn’t stop complaining about something on the train (at these times I’m glad I don’t speak their language, I just smile and nod), her hair was gorgeous but she was in a tizzy about something, probably the American sitting across the way listening to his iPod ; ) .  Also on the train I came to the conclusion that glasses in Italy are a huge fashion statement, nearly everyone has them and no two pair look alike, in all shapes and colors, wish I could pull it off myself.  Solo travel to Turin wasn’t anywhere close to as exciting as past trips with a group.  It was then I realized how truly thankful I am that Magen shares my dream of backpacking Europe and was able to join me.  The independence of it wouldn’t have stopped me I don’t think, but I’m so glad to have someone to share the experience with and reason through the popular improv that’s needed for the varying European systems.  After arriving in Turin it was just me, a Google map printout, and the huge (first capital of Italy) monstrosity of Turin.  After wandering around aimlessly for over 1.5 hours on varying street names and a confusing metro system, I finally managed to find some young Italians who walked me to the hotel, my feet were extremely thankful.  Along the way we chatted about my Americanism and their limited English, while they both rolled their own smoke and got a light from a train station police officer.  Pretty sure God sent them to me on those dark streets that night, there’s so many instances where I just look up and say “you walked me through that didn’t you?  THANKS!” haha.  It has never been so good to see a familiar face, after a quick sweaty hug, a debrief on her arrival, and a hot shower, I hit that pillow hard.  The next day was a new day with new challenges, and I was glad to see the yester go.  Things started off a bit fast and stressful but are quickly leveling out.

The next day Magen and I had a long train ride to Rome, I never realized how far south it really is, but so worth it.  That train ride brought its own fair share of relaxation, but also an interesting scene with a half dressed local drunk with a bandaged arm, some loud kids, and several stops.  I was glad Magen got to ride the train through Cinque Terre area though.  After booking a last minute hostel stay we weren’t real sure where we were headed.  After riding the metro to our stop we came up the stairs and the search began.  We stood at several different bus stops for a good 2 hours looking for ours that would take us 18km south of Rome to our hostel.  Finally we realized we needed to go downstairs across the street to reach our bus, such a challenge but an awesome adventure.  Arriving at our hostel was a nice surprise.  It was actually a huge campground, kind of like a family amusement park community that was very welcoming, and away from the hussle and bussle of Rome.  After receiving an upgrade to have a whole bungalow all to ourselves, our day was made.  The bungalows were similar to a camping trailer, just bigger and stationary.  We ended up loving the place and were sad to leave.  We each got our own room, A/C, a nice hot shower, and small market and restaurant nearby, and limited internet access.  If you’re looking for a cheap stay for a Rome trip I would definitely recommend Camping Fabulous!

Our first day in Rome was exciting and productive.  After purchasing the Roma Pass (25 euro for free public travel and free entrance into two attractions within 3 days, thanks Rick Steves) we began by quickly figuring out the convenient Metro Station that took you exactly where you needed to be for the attractions.  We began at the Vatican City Museum (with a large discount using our ISIC cards) with a stroll through the courtyard, multiple displays which even included some Egyptian artifacts, and a maze of halls to our final arrival in the Sistine Chapel.  Truly a holy experience with ancient works of art that I can’t even begin to describe!  Just the hallways to the grand finale were breathtaking.  My favorite was of course the fingertip reach between Adam and God, Magen’s was the School of Athens where multiple ancient scholars were all shown together.  A chapel with a ceiling four years in the making touched by the hands of Michelangelo and Raphael, how could that not be impressive?  All we could talk about was our disbelief for what we were seeing and that we had the opportunity to do so.  Truly an amazing experience.  Exiting through St. Peter’s Square with admiration for the uniqueness of the Catholic staple and enjoying a little people watching we tried to take it all in.  The amount of money rolling through that place everyday is insane, with 17 euro per head and maybe at least 2000+ people a day, that’s an excellent source of funding.  The preservation and religious ties are nothing but respected and admired in my book though. 

From there we ventured on to the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon (oldest church in Rome), and Piazza Navona with Magen’s Four River’s Fountain and another chapel where we took advantage of the opportunity to thank God for the opportunity and the safety he’s provided so far.  After realizing how close everything was together we even walked by the High Courts which we were informed by a local woman didn’t offer very good monuments or decisions haha, and on to Castel Sant’ Angelo., which brought us back again to St. Peter’s Square.  Each were amazing sights to witness with independent beauties. 

The next day brought us to the Colosseo, Arco di Costantino, the Roman Forum, the Palatino, and Circo Massimo.  Using our Roma passes we skipped large lines and earned free entrance.  The Colosseum was probably my favorite above all, just piecing together the ruins and imagining the liveliness that took place in a system not so foreign from our own was awesome.  Sadly many tragedies unfolded in its arena under a vast and powerful rule, but the idea that man could build such a mass that many years ago is dumbfounding.  Discovering a cement mixture and having impressive engineering skills, it’s still standing mostly and is a must for all Bucket List’s.  Trying to imagine an ancient civilization where so much was misguided but other expertise were spot on brings to question, just how far have we really evolved?  The Roman Forum was a rare treat which Magen could have gotten lost in had I not slowed her down.  For an avid reader’s mind I can’t even imagine what she was able to put together with the uncovered foundations of the area.  Trying to see the games played in the Palatino was a fun mind adventure as well.  The Circo Massimo was a bit disappointing but ole Rick Steves tried to warn us with its one triangle rating.  After an extremely rewarding and productive two days in Europe we were headed back to Turin for my stupid luggage from school.  I’m currently dragging it around because the storage place in the train station only allows 15 days max, the four hotels I asked couldn’t help, and I couldn’t mail used clothes home through the Italian Postal System.  Hopefully we find an alternative option soon, maybe FedEx will find us in Vienna.

After a long stop in Turin we headed to Salzburg, Austria and had our first sleeper train experience.  It was interesting to say the least, efficient, unrestful stints of napping, and an early train switch in Insburg but saved us a hostel fee for the night.  We also got to experience first class service which my Eurrail Pass doesn’t cover but Magen’s does, I wasn’t supposed to be there but the ticket salesmen obviously don’t pay attention.  It was nice, while it lasted!

Arriving in Salzburg brought an early sunrise around 5am, chilly air, gorgeous mountain silhouettes, and two tired backpackers.  After another but more efficient bus finding adventure we found the right stop and headed a little out of town to our Bed and Breakfast, Haus Christine.  After the bus stop you walk over a train bridge and up a 50 degree hill for 10 minutes then look on the left.  Pretty simple right? Haha ya. . . We were extremely glad to see that sign none-the-less, took showers quickly, and napped till a little after lunch time.  We took it easy today and caught up on our updated itinerary, hoping my sore feet do some healing.  We headed to a local restaurant where I had some cream of garlic soup (which you would LOVE Dad), sausage and french fries, with an amazing raspberry ice cream whip dessert which we split.  We ventured out into the town the next day, after a pretty satisfying breakfast at our B&B, to see some Catacombs and the largest most impenetrable Fortress in Europe!  It was an exciting day walking around the old city with much less tourist jumble, clean mountain air, loads of wildflowers (Mom), and new and exciting languages to listen to! I’ve decided I could live in Austria, this part at least, where the showers are amazing, the people are friendly, flowers have their own green thumbs, rain is plentiful along with rivers and trees, and time passes by on what I like to call a gradual casual (they use the word Gemutlichkeit)!

It’s a small world after all, we met a couple of Texas girls also backpacking at breakfast this morning, from the Austin area.  Their trip is almost at its end after they head to Ireland, but it was nice to see some fellow Texans. 

We made it to Vienna safely this afternoon, climbed the 343 step South Tower for some grand views of the city and had a great dinner close to the Opera House.  We turned it in a little early to catch up on internet communications tonight, we finally have a good wifi in our apartment hotel!  Tomorrow should be another grand day Austrian style!

Our Updated Itinerary, we decided the out of way trip through Greece wasn’t reasonable so we improvised, guess it will have to wait for another day:  Rome, Salzburg Austria, Vienna, Budapest Hungary, Prague Czech Republic, Frankfurt Germany, Brussels, London UK, Paris, Lausanne Switzerland, maybe Florence for Magen, and back to Turin.  We still have three gap days which I’m sure we will fill in somehow!  So excited to see what awaits and once again time is flying, just trying to take it all in and document it with pictures (226 in Rome alone).  Loving every surreal moment, thanking God for my blessings, and missing those back home. 

As always thanks for reading, check back soon, and happy days your way!

Pictures:  Public Facebook Link: 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100259733678588.2635954.16737784&l=5395fe3cbc 

 

Il Tempo Vola! (Time Flies)

Well friends it’s been an extremely exciting and busy last week here in Italy, and we’re starting an even busier one.  Last week of school is finally here and papers, presentations, and tests are all in full force.  I’m literally shocked that the last 3 weeks are already gone and before I blink this one will be too.  Crazy to think how fast time flies when you’re having fun!  I couldn’t even imagine going home yet like many of the other summer students, I’m so glad I’m staying for an after school European adventure with my travel buddy Magen.  Okay, so here we go:

Last Monday we had the option of signing up for an evening trip to Bassano del Grappa and I’m so glad I put aside school work and took the short 20 minute trip.  Got some great pictures of a famous bridge where it’s truly European to stop at the end bar and ask for a glass of “Metza-Metza”.  We all shared in a cin-cin (toast) and sipped our drinks, and in the words of one of the international students “it tastes like Chinese cough syrup or medicine for when you get car sickness”!  It was interesting, a slightly red drink with a drop of lemon in it.  Gorgeous town though, especially for an evening stroll, and in true Italian style we topped the night off with some gelato for the soul.  We all kind of wish that CIMBA campus was actually in that town because there’s much more offered like supermarkets and interesting restaurants, but Asolo is a truly unique experience in itself also.  Monday afternoon we also took another plant tour to LAGO furniture to examine their Lean Manufacturing practices.  A higher end design company specializing in thinking outside the box.  Their furniture is more like art and priced that way too.  I could really see them being a success in some of the more major cities of the US though, New York, Dallas, Austin, Miami, etc., simply because they think outside the box and offer truly unique products.

On Tuesday, Wine Appreciation, we were treated to the expertise of CIMBA’s founder, Dr. Al, who has over time become a true wino of northern Italy.  At one point he purchased a closed wine cellar for $400,000 and then owned everything inside.  When he went inside he found a couple of cases of 1887 wine that he said was worth over $3,000 per third of a glass.  He said he couldn’t resist and had to give it a little taste.  From my understanding he’s also developed some sort of exporting wine business around the globe.  He’s just one of those success stories that’s truly inspiring to listen to.  Anyways, he shared his knowledge about the wine making process, and I can now see why universities are developing a degree for vineyard management.  It’s a huge process with thousands of different wine mixtures and products.  Made me appreciate the glass bottles just a little more, the Italians have truly developed an art out of wine making and harvesting their grapes.  We were treated to several different kinds of wine, and taught the proper way of tasting it alongside some 6 month old parmesian cheese.  An irreplaceable experience to say the least, it even gets as detailed as the shape of your glass, how to hold it, and how to swish it.  I like the various wines, but I’m still biased towards my Riunite Lambrusco in the states (cheap and good if you’re interested, red and white label), but I now know that generally lambruscos are the bottom of the barrel wines but that in recent years they have been making a quality comeback in Italy. 

On Wednesday, we were given a lecture on proper etiquette regarding professional dinners in Italy.  Dr. Al again shared his expertise and we tried our best to get acclimated with the new lessons of proper European style.  A bit complicated for an American who is used to a system of comfort, even further a Texan haha, but a fun challenge none the less.  Texans even have a grip of a wine glass named after them lol, we like to grip the glass which is a huge no no with Dr. Al because it alters the temperature of the glass and wine, always pinch the stem, anyways . . . ; ).  After the etiquette training we all got spiffed up and were taken to Castelfranco Venetto for a formal Italian dinner.  The restaurant Barbesian opened up just for us.  We had a large group of students and professors and had a great time.  It was one of the better meals I’ve ever had, not sure about the cost we were just told that it came out of our tuition and that the wine was provided by Dr. Al.  A 5 course meal!  Three different appetizers mainly vegetable and bread concoctions, I must say I’m not a vegetable fan but the Italian spices and olive oil seem to make anything good!  Then we had a white asparagus dish mixed with rice and various cheeses, a beef dish which was pretty rare but fantastic, and something else that I can’t remember.  Then for an amazing dessert it was a beautiful display of a homemade cookie fanned cup, with a scoop of gelato cream in the middle, powdered sugar, and hot chocolate syrup poured on top after it was set in front of you (hold on while I wipe up my drool), to DIE for!  I’m sure I did a horrible job of explaining the Italian cuisine but the menu was completely foreign to me, sorry, I will hopefully post a picture of it.  All matched with suitable wines, always going from white to red with your meal.  A humbling and influential experience that I hope to do again someday.

For the weekend travel that approached at lightning speed the CIMBAnzees(“chimbaaanzeees”) reunited once again and decided on an overnight stay in Milan and continued trip to Cinque Terre.  Milan was an interesting stop offering a beautiful Duomo (church) with elegant peaks that touched the sky.  The detail on every inch of its surface was jaw dropping.  One of the most gorgeous churches I’ve ever witnessed, at the east side of the piazza right at evening it was gorgeous.  The plaza was crowded with people holding hands, running in circles, and rioting about something, but they were super happy doing it and made us laugh.  Then we continued on into the 5 point tunnel (proper name?) that were each lined with high end fashion stores.  I felt like a dirty slob in Milan with my tourist apparel.  The most enjoyable part of it all was standing aside and people watching, the fashion and style was spectacular, every local was dressed to the T ranging from the blingin’ mistress, the business man who dressed straight out of GQ magazine, to the perfect fedora-ed old man that had the “umbrella as a cane” stroll down pat.  I loved just sitting aside and observing the confidence of the locals carouse their way around the center of the tunnel.  I would love to go back there someday, purchase one of the stylish window displays, and actually feel like I belong!

On to Cinque Terre, one of the most gorgeous coastal regions I’ve ever witnessed.  Alongside the Mediterranean coast on Western Italy lies a group of 5 small towns each with its own style that make up Cinque Terre.  The main goal of most tourists is to hike in between them.  Due to landslides caused by some rowdy weather earlier in the week we got to experience half of the 7b trail.  We hiked up the paved roads half the way for a good 1.25 hours, then hit the truly rugged and unknown trail downhill another 1.5 hours.  Hiking at its best that one of our friends trooped through in her flip flops (props to her), with sharp slippery rocks, thorny bushes, and flower perfumes, it was a nice long hike and bonding experience with good ole Mother Nature!  Pretty sure we each sweated out a couple of gallons, some shed some layers, and others were too modest like myself.  That cooler water never felt so good in Monterossa though.  We spent time on the beach for a good while chuckling at the skimpy speedos and unashamed beach dwellers, experienced a coast side dinner with pasta and wine that some only see in magazines, and then hit the pillows hard.  A truly unique region that I would put at the top of my list up to this point, and strongly recommend to the nature lover or honeymooner.  We stayed in a hostel that had a total of 305 steps (not counting the walking space in between) in Riomaggiore, that ranged from 5” incline, to 2’ incline, not sure I’ve ever experienced sore hips up until that point haha.  Loved the region, captured some great pictures, ate some great food, met some cool people, shared the experience with great friends, and continually had that awesome feeling of how blessed I am and that I seemed to be in the right place at the right time with the right people.  Bellissimo!

After blowing and going I could use a good “sleep in sesh”, but none so far and it’s true what they say you can sleep when you’re dead.  Today (Monday) we have been bombarded with homework that I should be doing, but this was so much more fun.  We also were treated to an authentic Italian Tiramisu making with a local Italian woman.  A fun experience that we all got to take part in and are so excited to dive into in a few hours.  The secret . . . fresh ingredients.  Back home search around for Italian shops to make it best, use the egg whites sparingly, and stir your cream in one direction only.  I think we went a little heavy on the sugar and brandy for her usual preference but she’s been working with Americans for a while so she understood I think, she was a gem of a lady. 

Well I’m tired and still have lots to do, but so ready to be done with school and meet up with Magen on Thursday.  We are starting in Turin and headed to Rome ASAP.  I’ll officially be living up the backpacker’s lifestyle with an Osprey Aether 60 that will see me around Europe.  We have a tentative schedule that I’m sure will change with the unpredictability of the European system, but that’s part of the adventure!  Schedule: Turin, Rome, Bari, Athens, Belgrade, Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Frankfurt, Brussels, London, Paris, then back to Turin with some possible day trips from there.  (Local: Torino, Roma, Bari, Athina, Beograd, Budapest, Wien, Praha, Frankfurt, Bruxelles, London, Paris)

Some pretty awesome pictures that don’t even do it justice but that have truly been an honor to capture, gracie Italia!  Mi piace un sacco (I love it).

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Well as always, gracie for reading and ciao for now!

Italian Oddities . . .

Well the “Cimbanzees” split up this weekend, half of us went to Rimini Beach and the other half went to Rome, Italy.  We definitely missed the other half of the group, but Magen and I are doing Rome early on in our trip so I didn’t want to double dip on the expenses.  Rimini was an interesting beach town, with several different ethnic groups representing their various parts of the coast.  After getting kicked out of sun bathing chairs with a genius adjustable face guard, and fighting off junk jewelry peddlers, we kicked it in the sand for a while.  My fair skin finally got some good Italian sunshine, borderline too much maybe.  With the European beach came the tsunami of Speedos, a few, how shall I say this, “European style” women (not as many as I expected though), and shame wasn’t part of their vocabulary.  You have to respect their confidence in saggy/leathery skin, hairy chests, and prominent bellies. The water was a little chilly and a little dirty but refreshing.  Really, Rimini wasn’t anything special, but a nice relaxing trip away from school and a bit cheaper.  We went into old town on Saturday and saw some really neat landmarks: an old archway, a cathedral, a less than impressive castle, the four horse fountain, and an ancient bridge (favorite). 

We loved our Sunflower Beach Backpacker Hostel that seems to have been designed by an American, the atmosphere and amenities were all there, kind of wish they had a chain so I could stay with them again!  Met some Aussies, Germans, Brits, and Swedes, loved each of their accents.  Makes me want to learn another language SO bad, and also view the American educational system as a bit mis-guided.  Everyone I meet over here knows at least two languages and if you need an English speaking aid just find the younger Italians.  Along the trip we ran into CIMBA undergrads that study in a different city, but I must say their immaturities quickly became annoying.  Before arrival we’re all told to try our best to not act so American, and when this group boarded the train the meaning of that line became perfectly clear.  I just hope I never acted so entitled.  I can now see why many foreigners are automatically rude when they discover your American background, I don’t blame them.  It’s funny how being over here allows you to notice some of the arrogant ways we live by every day.  I now see why some store vendors also like to charge you a more expensive rate if they know you’re American, despite what the menus say. 

On the train ride over I noticed Italians are very renewable energy friendly and environmentally conscious.  There were several random fields of solar panels, and mini windmills.  Even on campus recycling is a strict policy.  The toilets seem to be very efficient with just enough standing water to get the job done and then a quick and powerful flush through that seems much more efficient than the American ones.  I also noticed lots of nets over trees and various plants, sometimes over entire fields.  Not sure if that’s supporting the organic lifestyle or catching the fruit or what.  Cold drinks are not really what I would consider cold over here, their refrigeration machines aren’t near as powerful as ours and I’m really starting to miss the concept of ice.  I haven’t seen any ice machines and very few drinks with ice in them, kind of strange when we’re used to just pulling it out of the automatic freezer.  Again maybe it’s just their awareness of energy usage, I don’t know. 

Although I love being over here I’m definitely starting to miss some of my American loves: Dr. Pepper, Whataburger, Taco Villa, Chicken Strips and French Fries, Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream Chips, McDonald’s iced coffee, and PEANUT BUTTER.  The food array throughout all the places I’ve been is extremely limited from what I’ve seen.  It’s like everyone just likes the same thing and options aren’t a must.  In America we have a whole aisle designated to different kinds of chips, here you’re lucky to even find two shelves with plain potato chips on them.  The only peanut butter is Nutella, which I’m not a fan of, nothing is fried, lots of pizza and pasta, and that’s about it.  Choices aren’t near as accessible as they are in America.  I haven’t seen any Walmarts, but maybe that’s because they wouldn’t survive with their extremity of options, that would be a challenge to the general societal structure that I’m not sure would be accepted. 

Another issue we’ve noticed is the lack of visual controls that allow foreigners to practice the “self help” principle.  Visual cues are definitely lacking here which makes it difficult to get around and discover things on your own.  In America everything is usually labeled well enough, like the bus route and a map of where it stops, that you don’t need to ask for help, but here that doesn’t seem to be the case.  It’s funny, they’ll have scrolling digital marquees but they don’t even update passengers for the upcoming stop.  In America I guess so much of this idea is just automatic and expected.  Just a different way of doing things I guess.

Without A/C a popular amenity in apartment buildings are these shutter things that are like mini garage doors, placed over windows or balcony doors that block out light, heat, and sounds.  The sun seems to rise really early over here probably between 5:30 and 6 is the first peak of sunlight, so these shutters came in handy for sure this past weekend.  Overall it was a nice weekend with lots of gelato, café lattes, cappuccinos, and lessons learned.  This next week of school should be a busy one, with a technology paper to write, a lean process to design, an outline to write, another plant tour, a trip to Bassano, a wine appreciation tour, formal etiquette training, and a formal dinner I think I will be ready to get away to Cinque Terre!  As always gracie for reading, and caio for now.  Now go grab a Taco Villa #1 with salsa (not hot sauce) and think of me!  

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