From there, we made our way to the nearby Royal Botanical Garden. Although the tulips were a little dried up, the garden held an impressive collection -- including a dark purple specimen named "Ronaldo!"
It's tempting to sum up Amsterdam in three simple words: pot, prostitution, and pancakes. The weed was legal and easily attainable (with varied menus and an abundance of coffeeshops) as was the Red Light District, filled with some hard-working, scantily clad women. And, of course the pancakes (sweet and savory) were scrumptious. The city truly opened my eyes to a highly progressive, accepting culture (and served as the ideal location to reunite with close friends from high school and celebrate Bennett’s 21st birthday). With our convenient accommodations on Warmoesstraat (in the heart of the gay/S&M district), we were lucky enough to witness first hand the liberal mindset that this city embraces!
In between the sinning, we made room for some sightseeing including the Van Gogh Museum (impressive despite the fact that some of his most famous works were undergoing restoration), the Rijksmuseum, the floating tulip market, the Heineken Experience, and the Anne Frank House.
Although the tourist “attractions” were worth the visit, it was the subtle, quirky characteristics of Amsterdam that fascinated me the most. For example, the leaning houses (designed to avoid taxes on the width of the house and then aggravated by the swampy/silty foundations) were quite perplexing. The clean canals transported me right back to Venice. Instead of dodging cars when jaywalking, it was a bicycle, the city’s preferred mode of transportation, that I sought to avoid!
However, I’d have to say that best day of my semester abroad thus far had to have been Saturday April 10, 2010. Thirty minutes after boarding a train from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Den Haag Centraal, I landed in the arms of Tamara, my former au pair (and last of eight). Although I hadn’t seen her since the left the United States 13 years ago (when I was entering third grade), I couldn’t have felt more comfortable. I spent the entire day with her – meeting her beautiful blonde family, perusing through her six hefty scrapbooks of her year on Ballard Drive, visiting her childhood home, touring the Royal Delft pottery factory, sharing memories, and shedding tears. It was truly a trip down memory lane, and I feel so lucky to have maintained such a strong bond with such an incredible friend.
Although it was hard to say goodbye to Tamara and the Netherlands, I look forward to spending my dwindling remaining weeks in Madrid in the company of friends and… FAMILY!
I’ll admit that upon arriving in Venice (the final leg of my spring break), I was feeling sick, and walking had become quite painful given my throbbing foot. In a city without cars, I wasn’t off to a good start. However, the magic of the canals that surrounded me (along with a daily dose of gelato), seemed to numb the pain.
I also thought that I couldn’t tolerate one more cathedral, one more tower with a panoramic view, or one more museum. But, the Basilica di San Marco proved me wrong. The view from the terrace was second to none, and the golden mosaics were quite captivating.
We made time for the must-see stops at I Frari (to marvel at Titian’s masterpiece), the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (with a sweet sculpture garden), the Gallerie dell’Accademia, and the Ponte de Suspiri. However, a few lesser-traveled landmarks stick out in my mind…
We took an Itinerari Segreti (Secret Passageways) tour of the Palazzo Ducale (home to Venice’s Doge) that exposed the hidden torture rooms, offices, and archives of the historic building. The tour was a much-desired change of pace from the occasionally gaudy, art-ridden palaces that I had seen thus far.
Filled to the brim with contemporary art, the Palazzo Grassi was one of my favorite European museums to date. A large installation (composed of a lit-up electric disco floor accompanied by hip-hop Ludacris jams and juxtaposed with a collage of Warhol-esque Nazi portraits to recall the human desire for mindless fun) occupied the front entrance way. On the second floor, an installation by Adel Abdessemed blew my mind. Titled Black Rain, the piece incorporated larger than life drill bits that rose from ground to signify the penetrating disruption caused by cultural violence in South Africa.
We caught a glimpse of some Murano glass-blowing in action at a showroom on the Piazza di San Marco. In less than 3 minutes, the master scultped a horse!
A Vivaldi Easter concert by the premier group, Interpreti Veneziani, sealed the week. Although all of the concertos were impressive, the final piece of the double-encore left me with my jaw drooping! From our third row seats, we could see the violinist’s pulsating forehead vein!
My various gelato samples sure did add up, but I’ll share a few of my favorite combinations: lemon & artichoke topped the list followed by a large mix of kiwi, straciatella, bacio, & banana, and lastly pink grapefruit & yogurt!
The trip was quite a success, and I returned to Madrid without a hitch (but with some leather goods in tow)!
From there, we made our way to the Bargello Museum, which housed an interesting collection of statues, ivory trinkets, and coins. After a quick primer on Florentine history, we were ready for some hard-core touristy indulgence at the city’s main attraction: the Duomo. [In order to assuage our wait in line to climb to the top of the Duomo, we picked up some gelato – Bacio, Straciatella, and Pear – from Grom.] 45 minutes of waiting, 8 euro, and 463 claustrophobia-inducing steps later, we found ourselves soaking in the panoramic views at the top of the dome.
I spent the afternoon ducking in and out of artisan workshops in the Oltrarno neighborhood. One of my favorite finds was the papeleria Giulio Giannini & Figlio, where I picked up a photo album with the Florentine print of my bat mitzvah invitation envelopes. The little stroll ended with a walk across the Ponte Vecchio, a beautiful old bridge currently lined with mini gold jewelry shops.
Unfortunately I wasn’t hungry enough to enjoy a full meal at La Giostra, but I did have the appetite for a primi piatto: Pennette with pear, gorgonzola and pistachio (like a carb-filled version of Cosi’s signature salad, but better)! The waiter also treated us to an antipasti sampler on the house with an assortment of bruschetta, crostinis, tomato, mozzarella, and other Italian specialties.
When asked, Adam and I will probably both say that Tuesday morning was the best morning in Florence. He stayed in bed until 1 pm as I made my way through the San Lorenzo leather market!! [You would all be proud of my decision making skills: I bought a jacket in under one hour.] It was on my way back from the leather market that I ran into an old L.I.T. friend from summer camp – a much-welcomed surprise! I met Adam for lunch at Coquinarius, where I dined on some Crostini Misiti and the freshest salad Scozzese ever!
After lunch I went to the Baptistery to admire the ceiling, snap a quick picture, and meet Adam on the other side of the impressive bronze doors. From there, we ventured to the Cappelle Medici – quite the marble establishment. Because most of the sites closed by 6, Adam convinced me that we should shop a little before dinner so as not to waste any time :) [He probably regretted that advice immediately as I spent over an hour deciding on which pair of leather gloves to buy at Madova.]
Being the great friends that we are, we waited until George and Kara had arrived and showered to head to Craig’s staple restaurant: Il Gatto e la Volpe. We were wined and dined – family style – by his go-to waiter, Fatjon. The never-ending platters of gnocchi, ravioli, and Bolognese (and Chianti) made for a fun dinner. [I’m convinced that Long Island single-handedly keeps that restaurant in business...]
On Wednesday morning we forked over some dough to admire the various museums of the Pitti Palace, but more importantly the Boboli (and more impressive Barbini) Gardens. I thought the cave was cool, the Egyptian obelisk exciting, and the fountains refreshing, but Adam found the landscaping and edging to be sub-par. I had fun running down Cyprus Alley, but making the uphill trek wasn’t as enjoyable! The sculptures of the Barini Gardens were oddly covered in plastic, but the lookout afforded us beautiful views of the Duomo and Arno from afar.
Despite the recommendation from a friend, we decided that Il Latini may have served us the worst lunch in all of Europe – a pitiful plate of ravioli for me and an unattractive serving of chicken for Adam, prefaced by balsalmic vinagrette that tasted of nail polish remover. Luckily, there was no shortage of gelatto. To remedy the situation, we stopped for some kiwi and butterscotch gelatto at Carabe before queuing to enter the Gallerie dell’ Academia. Thanks to a handy advance registration, we entered immediately and headed straight for the bigger, brawnier, stone-version of my dad: David!! The sculpture truly was perfect, and with semi-circular benches surrounding the masterpiece, I could appreciate it from all angles. Our Lonely Planet guidebook offered a comprehensive description of David, including an answer to “Why the small dick?”
The afternoon continued with a visit to the Santa Maria Novella (with Giotto’s sweet suspended cross), a stop for some Belgian waffles doused in Nutella, some more shopping, and wandering. Dinner at Acqua al 2 was one of our best yet. With a sampler of salads, pasta (five different dishes), steak (with blueberry and balsalmic sauces!!!), and dessert, we got a taste of the entire menu. Afterwards we met up with some friends to catch the end of the Barcelona – Arsenal game before heading to the Red Garter for some kickin’ karaoke. After the series of American hits, I almost forgot that I was in Italy until a duo requested “Cetto Noche.”
Thursday morning brought us to the synagogue of Florence, where passed through some intense security before entering the building to learn about its rough background including a damaging flood and decreasing Jewish population. [I didn’t even know Italy had much of a Jewish congregation to begin with…] The synagogue provided some calm before the storm (aka the Galleria degli Uffizi). Despite our ticket reservations, we waited in multiple lines to enter the cramped museum at midday. We picked up a small guide to help us decipher the mythography on display via La Primavera, the Birth of Venus, and the Medusa.
Florence was definitely fun (and filled with fabulous food), but after four days I was ready to move away from the crowded historical city center that seemed to be stuffed with the American ways of both tourists and students alike.
A quick ride on the SITA bus brought us to Siena, a small town where two of my close friends studied for six weeks during the summer after their freshman year. Situated in the Tuscan countryside, the one-night stay was a perfect reprieve from the congested cities.
An all-inclusive ticket gave us access to the Museum Santa Maria della Scala, the Crypt, and the Baptistery, which we visited before dinner. The crypt and the baptistery were precious and ornate but managed to blend in with the dozens of crypts, baptisteries, and cathedrals that I have laid my eyes on this semester. The museum, a former hospital, was refreshing, and I particularly liked Bartolo’s portrayal of “The Care and Healing of the Sick."
While wandering around the winding roads (and stopping for some honeydew and dark chocolate gelatto, of course), I was sucked into the small shops that sold pottery adorned with the shields of each contrata. I learned from Nicole that Siena is famous for Il Palio, a horse race that takes place twice each summer in which ten of the city's seventeen contratas put up a horse. The contratas are represented by different “mascots” including a snail, porcupine, and caterpillar.
Eagerly waiting for the Osteria del Gato to open at 7:30, we walked towards the outskirts of the walled city to Porto di San Marco. From here, you could see for miles and miles. A fat rainbow sprouted from the ground and framed the cities in the distance at sunset – like something out of a book! Dinner at the Osteria was incredible, thanks to Nicole & Francesca’s recommendation! We had crostini with fagioli, and a series of pasta dishes and meat dishes (mine was porkchops with honey) that I couldn’t understand due to the handwritten Italian menu.
I enjoyed a Nutella croissant on the Piazza del Campo – the Palio grounds – before we climbed the Torre del Mangia. Because the winding staircase is so narrow, only 25 people are allowed to climb at a time. Second in line as the tower opened, we had no problem getting to the top of the steep 400-odd steps. From the top, one could see the full fan-shape of the Piazza del Campo, as well as the boundaries of Siena and surrounding towns.
The bright sun was just as noticeable in the Duomo as it poured through the stained glass windows. Unfortunately the floor, one of the most prominent aspects of the cathedral, was covered due to a renovation, but the green-and-beige striped columns and intricate details throughout were breathtaking, regardless.
The SITA bus returned us to the station in Florence that we had departed from less than 24 hours earlier. However, TrenItalia’s failure to accept an American credit card once again left us with no other option but to take the first class high-speed train to Venice!
We dropped our bags and headed to meet two of Adam’s friends at the Colosseum. From there, we hopped on an English guided walking tour of the Colosseum, Palantine, and Roman Forum. Immediately, I was the lucky one chosen as a reference for the gladiator’s demonstration (at the cost of the audience’s entertainment). Though crowded, the Colosseum was captivating. Encompassed by a series of arches and concentric circles, I felt as if I could have easily gotten lost in the maze below me. From the Colosseum, we headed to the nearby Palantine Hill where we received a dose of Rome History 101. Our tour guide also helped us imagine the scope of what the Roman Forum would have looked like (covered in marble) years ago. It was particularly interesting to learn about the difference in ground level between now and the past.
We then climbed to the rooftop terrace of the Capitoline Museum for a panoramic view of the city. Continuing on our whirlwind walk, we ventured to the Trevi Fountain – “that fountain” – to throw a penny over our backs and the Spanish Steps to see what all the hype was about. Both sites were painfully packed with tourists, but I guess that’s the consequence of coming to Rome during the week before Easter.
Deserving a reward for our ambitious sightseeing, we headed to one of Rome’s best gelato joints, Giolitti. It was here that I met my fate with a triple-stuffed cone of Raspberry, Disarrono, and Cicoccolate Fondante gelato with homemade whipped cream. [Dessert before dinner is a great crowd-beating tip.] An equally gluttonous dinner brought us to Ristorante Cleto (thanks Nicole & Francesca!) for some mouthwatering bruschetta followed by an equally sinful pasta dish – Sette Peccati, a pasta dish of seven sins including prosciutto and corn. A short stroll brought us back to Campo di Fiori for round two of dessert.
After a simple breakfast on the terrace of our hotel, we made our way to the Vatican, via Metro. Our day began with a guided tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Although I was quite turned off by the thick, innavigable crowds, I really liked the painted walls and ceiling of the Hall of Cartography as well as Rafael’s Philosophy. Adam particularly liked staring at his namesake on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel! From there, we took a shortcut to the St. Peter’s Basilica. Bold and brawny, the Basilica’s twisty-columned baldacchino was a highlight. Additionally, the entire square was set up with thousands of rows of chairs in preparation for the upcoming Easter services.
A carb-filled lunch awaited us at Siciliainbocca. Here I chose Linguine Ciccio – a simple linguine dish with an oil, parmesan, and zucchini sauce (with the intention of saving room for noshing along the way). And nosh we did. A few blocks later we stopped in at a local pizzeria where a sneaky chef passed off his recommendation of a sardine and spinach focaccia in an attempt to get rid of the last few pieces. As an uneducated tourist, I fell for it. But, I quickly remedied the situation and washed down the salty taste with some apple, cinnamon, and ginger gelato from Il Gelatto di San Crispino.
We spent the afternoon wandering around the Centro Storico – marveled at the Pantheon (under construction), posed for a caricature at the Piazza Navona (the cartoonist emphasized Adam’s widow’s peak and teeth!), picked up some chocolate eggs (made from 19th century recipes) at the Confetteria Morriono & Gariglio (instead of the 5 euro per piece cactus truffles), gazed at the piercing blue ceiling of the Basilica di Santa Maria, and poked in some leather workshops.
Dinner brought us to the Travestere neighborhood where we paid a visit to Mel’s apartment before dining on some chicken parmesan and vegetable pizza at her favorite restaurant, Hostaria del Moro. A famous tartufo dessert at Tre Scalini truly sealed the deal.
Losing an hour of sleep on Sunday didn’t stop us from seeing all that there is to see. Thanks to Adam’s forward-planning (hmm…), we visited the Museo e Galleria Borghese with our pre-booked tickets! One of my favorite sculptures was the Rape of Persephone, but it was hard to focus on the standing art given the colorful frescoed ceilings. We spent a while meandering through the Villa Borghese -- a huge park that was irresistible on this sunny day. We grabbed suppli and focaccia to go from Casina dell’Orlogio to enjoy picnic-style.
By Sunday afternoon, we had grown a little more comfortable with the city proper and decided to venture to the fringes of the San Lorenzo neighborhood. Covered in graffiti, the neighborhood reminded me of a mix of Madrid’s Malasana and Lavapies neighborhoods. We then spent a few hours walking to (and along) the ancient Appian Way (home to the Catacombs of Italian royalty). Had it not been for GPS and its creative road-naming system, I’m not sure we would have made it out alive by dusk. However, the sheep-fulled meadows leading to cobblestone roads at sunset were quite stunning. Two South-African couples (with a Rick Steve’s guide) churned up some friendly conversation and helped us pass the time as we waited for what seemed like eternity for a bus to return to the Eternal City.
Once back in the city center, we passed through the Circo Massimo, a sorry patch of grass that once housed chariot races and mock sea battles. Our ultimate destination: Travestere for some food! Start salivating. Dinner #1 consisted of a pizza with pesto, potato, cherry tomato, and mozzarella followed by a ricotta and Nutella calzone at Dar Poeta. Dinner #2 consisted of some delicious rigatoni concoction, a fresh tossed salad, and pinenut cake at Da Augusto. Luckily we had a long walk back to the hotel to compress our stomachs. Arrivederci, Roma! Next stop: Florence!
