A few of my friends are in a class at school called “Women and Art” about a Baroque painter named Artemisia Gentileschi. Currently, in Milan, there is a new, world-renowned exhibit on this painter, drawing paintings from collections all over Italy and all over the world. Their class went to Milan to see this exhibit. At first, knowing this, I was super jealous, but, when I heard that my roommate and another friend planned to go up on Friday and stay until their class’s Sunday museum visit, I saw my window of opportunity. So the three of us went to Milan for the weekend and stayed at the most fun and welcoming hostel I’ve ever seen (they even had their own bongo drums, guitars, and DOG!!). We had time to explore, visit various museums and churches, do some shopping, spend one day at Lake Como, and still meet up with the class in time. In fact, the professor let me come along with the class and listen to her lecture inside the museum!! Of course, I purchased my own admission but I had not expected her to let me accompany them. She even gave me a headset so I could follow what she was saying to the rest of the class! The exhibit was awesome and I really feel that I got more out of it by going with such a specialist on the subject.
Our day at Lake Como was really nice! The Lake itself is beautiful and we did a boat tour out on the water (we said hi to George Clooney’s house, of course). There are also really nice shops so we found some exciting new goodies.
Sunday we went to the exhibit and to the Duomo then headed home! Flying ended up being quicker and cheaper than the train but our flight was delayed when a man got mad at the stewardess and had to be dragged off the plane by the police. Everyone was yelling at each other. Only in Italy.
Duomo!!
Santa Maria della Grazia! (Where I didn't get to see The Last Supper)
This trip was obviously some time ago, but it was simply wonderful! Though it was already rainy season we chanced upon a perfectly sunny day the one day we did all of our walking. The views over the water were breathtaking and the trails were nice, though strenuous at times. It was funny to notice that in the actual cities themselves, most of the people were speaking English but, once out to the trails, it was mostly French and German with some Italian and a miserly sprinkling of English. As there are trains that will take you directly to each of the towns individually, most of the Americans who come opt out of the lovely, if rugged, mountain trails. For us, however, these trails were precisely the reason we came.
It felt good to get out and do some hiking after so much time living in a big city. From the trails and from in the cities, it’s totally cute and absolutely scenic. Also, as pesto and foccaccio were both invented in Liguria (the region in which we were travelling), we definitely made a point of sampling both of these foods while in the Cinque Terre.
Unfortunately, two days after our return, massive floods completely wiped out the fifth of the five little towns, killing seven people and destroying many houses. Though this was obviously tragic, we were lucky to get there at literally the last possible moment and luckier still that we were not hurt.
On Sunday, on our way back, we stopped in Pisa and took some pictures with the tower. The two other girls I went with had both already been but, since we had to take the train into Pisa regardless, I wanted to make the extra trip while we were there and see the Leaning Tower. Super cool!
Well, as much as we’re always told to expect he unexpected, I never saw this coming and still have a hard time believing it. I suppose a positive byproduct of being stuck in the house is that now I actually have time to put up posts on this blog and … oh yeah, I guess, do my homework. I already finished one of the three 8-10 page papers I have to write but I would so much rather be out going to museums, churches, resturants, bars, and pretty much anywhere outside of my room. My Signora has been really nice, always asking me if I need anything before she leaves the house, and even making me food or coffee a few times, though usually we’re on our own during the weekends. Such a sweetie! Apparently, a girl who stayed with her last year broke both her legs three weeks before leaving so now she feels like her house is jinxed. Neither of us, however, broke our respective bones at the house so I think she has nothing to worry about.
