Wow, what a weekend we just had! Niraj and I had the privilege of attending the IAEA formal ball in Vienna during the height of the ball season. Vienna is definitely a city of music, culture, and sophistication... and what better way to enjoy our first visit to the city than by attending a ball. Here are the Ball Pictures!
The Austrian students at Johns Hopkins organized the whole trip, and I think about 120 or so students ended up attending. We hopped on a bus Friday night, arrived Saturday morning, spent Saturday afternoon wandering Vienna, went to the ball Saturday night, wandered some more Sunday, and drove back Sunday night.
In terms of the non-Ball activities, we were able to get a good feel of the city by walking around in the freezing cold those couple of days. We went to the Belevedere Art Museum, went inside St. Stephen's Cathedral, had Sunday brunch at a cafe in Museum Quarter, watched ice skaters outside City Hall, grabbed a spicy sausage from a street vendor, saw Parliament Building, ate traditional Viennese hot sweets, drank Gluhwein (Viennese mulled wine), and sat in Cafe Central listening to a piano player and enjoying a piece of the famous Sacher-Torte.
But clearly those were not the real highlights of the trip...
Our unforgettable evening began (after hours of getting ready, or at least of me getting ready) at 6PM by attending a cocktail reception thrown for us by the Mayor of Vienna. It was in the basement of City Hall near his restaurant, and it was a nice intimate time to drink some wine and marvel at how good we all looked! (It was almost impossible to recognize people when they got all dressed up for this!) It was a perfect, relaxing way to kick off the evening.
After the reception, we all headed over in groups to Hofburg Palace for the main event. We didn't want to miss the opening ceremonies, but we also didn't want to go the whole night without eating, so we grabbed falafels/kabobs/pizza from the street vendors on our way over. What a classy group we all were in gowns and tuxes downing food on the street!
When we first walked into the Palace, it really did take my breath away. There was red carpet leading up the grand main staircase, and chandeliers covered the lobby. People in beautiful gowns and sharp tuxes were taking pictures and mingling, and everyone was slowly making their way up to the Main Ballroom for the big Opening Ceremony.
Walking into the Main Ballroom for the first time took my breath away yet again. The architectural details of the walls, the colorful frescoes on the ceiling, the thousands of people lined up along the edges of the room, and the magnificent orchestra were only a few of the stunning features. I mean, we were in a Palace! How can I even begin to describe how stunning everything was!
The Opening Ceremony consisted of many stages, beginning with a processional of the Austrian flag and a speech by this year's M.C. From there, we were all highly entertained by a group of Korean percussionists who danced, flipped, and drummed a perfect routine. As can be seen from the pictures, they had ribbons attached to their heads that went every possible direction yet looked so artistic! Then there was opera singing from members of the IAEA, followed by the traditional opening ceremony waltz. This was really unique because in a way it resembled a Debutante ball... there were rows of young girls dressed all in white, holding flowers, partnered with young men in tuxes. The whole group did a traditional Viennese Waltz to formally kick off the event.
The rest of the night was just as incredible as the beginning ceremonies. The whole palace was divided into rooms, each with different live bands playing different types of music. There was waltz, salsa, 80s, disco, hip hop, Celtic, swing, and so much more! Niraj and I didn't even begin to touch all the different rooms! The night was spent wandering from room to room, dancing, people watching, and just soaking in our surroundings. Niraj and I did venture out onto the dance floor to try a Viennese waltz... we tried doing the steps we had learned, but it seemed everywhere we turned we ran into other people! We never did get the hang of the moving-circle-aspect of the waltz but had a great time trying!
All in all, it was a fantastic evening and a wonderful weekend. We were very lucky to have this opportunity and could not have asked for a better way to get a glimpse of Ball Season!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
"Eat, Pray, Love"
I know that I said I wouldn't post anything new until we get back from Spain, but there is something I came across that I wanted to share. I also wanted to remember it forever, and this blog is as much a journal for us as it is updates for everyone else.
I'm currently reading a book for my Book Club titled "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's about a woman who spends a year living abroad to have an adventure and to try to get her life back on track. Her goal is to learn about food in Italy, religion in India, and the balance of the two in Indonesia. I was amazed at how much her experiences in Italy rang true to me and how much it mirrored the experience that Niraj and I are having over here! In particular, the following two excerpts really stood out, and I wanted to share.
---
"I met a young Australian girl last week who was backpacking through Europe for the first time in her life. I gave her directions to the train station... When I heard her travel plans, I was stricken with a dumb spasm of jealousy, thinking I want to go to Slovenia! How come I never get to go anywhere? Now, to the innocent eye it might appear that I already am traveling. And longing to travel while you are already traveling is, I admit, a king of greedy madness... But the fact that this girl asked directions from me (clearly, in her mind, a civilian) suggests that I am not technically traveling in Rome, but living here. However temporary it may be, I am a civilian. When I ran into the girl, in fact, I was just on my way to pay my electricity bill, which is not something travelers worry about. Traveling-to-a-place energy and living-in-a-place energy are two fundamentally different energies, and something about meeting this Australian girl on her way to Slovenia just gave me such a jones to hit the road."
---
"...I went to Bologna - a city so beautiful that I couldn't stop singing, the whole time I was there: 'My Bologna has a first name! It's P-R-E-T-T-Y.' Traditionally Bologna - with it's lovely brick architecture and famous wealth - has been called 'The Red, The Fat, and The Beautiful.' The food is definitely better here than in Rome, or maybe they just use more butter. Even the gelato in Bologna is better. The mushrooms here are like big tongues, and the prosciutto drapes over pizzas like a fine lace veil draping over a fancy lady's hat. And of course there is the Bolognese sauce, which laughs disdainfully at any other idea of a ragu. It occurs to me in Bologna that there is no equivalent in English for the term buon appetito. This is a pity, and also very telling. It occurs to me, too, that the train stops of Italy are a tour through the names of the world's most famous foods and wines: next stop, Parma... next stop, Bologna... next stop, approaching Montepulciano."
---
So, there you have it... what could almost be a first-hand account of our time "living" in Bologna. Enough said!
I'm currently reading a book for my Book Club titled "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's about a woman who spends a year living abroad to have an adventure and to try to get her life back on track. Her goal is to learn about food in Italy, religion in India, and the balance of the two in Indonesia. I was amazed at how much her experiences in Italy rang true to me and how much it mirrored the experience that Niraj and I are having over here! In particular, the following two excerpts really stood out, and I wanted to share.
---
"I met a young Australian girl last week who was backpacking through Europe for the first time in her life. I gave her directions to the train station... When I heard her travel plans, I was stricken with a dumb spasm of jealousy, thinking I want to go to Slovenia! How come I never get to go anywhere? Now, to the innocent eye it might appear that I already am traveling. And longing to travel while you are already traveling is, I admit, a king of greedy madness... But the fact that this girl asked directions from me (clearly, in her mind, a civilian) suggests that I am not technically traveling in Rome, but living here. However temporary it may be, I am a civilian. When I ran into the girl, in fact, I was just on my way to pay my electricity bill, which is not something travelers worry about. Traveling-to-a-place energy and living-in-a-place energy are two fundamentally different energies, and something about meeting this Australian girl on her way to Slovenia just gave me such a jones to hit the road."
---
"...I went to Bologna - a city so beautiful that I couldn't stop singing, the whole time I was there: 'My Bologna has a first name! It's P-R-E-T-T-Y.' Traditionally Bologna - with it's lovely brick architecture and famous wealth - has been called 'The Red, The Fat, and The Beautiful.' The food is definitely better here than in Rome, or maybe they just use more butter. Even the gelato in Bologna is better. The mushrooms here are like big tongues, and the prosciutto drapes over pizzas like a fine lace veil draping over a fancy lady's hat. And of course there is the Bolognese sauce, which laughs disdainfully at any other idea of a ragu. It occurs to me in Bologna that there is no equivalent in English for the term buon appetito. This is a pity, and also very telling. It occurs to me, too, that the train stops of Italy are a tour through the names of the world's most famous foods and wines: next stop, Parma... next stop, Bologna... next stop, approaching Montepulciano."
---
So, there you have it... what could almost be a first-hand account of our time "living" in Bologna. Enough said!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Just a Few Quick Things
I just wanted to write down a few things to update on life recently... short and sweet! Niraj is still in final mode and I've been busy working and planning our upcoming trips, so there are only a few interesting tidbits beyond that.
First fun thing: Niraj and I went to a BYOB event with the wine club last weekend. I thought the event was such a great idea that I had to share it! Since we were all coming back from winter vacation, the idea was to bring a bottle of wine that was either from the place you went over break or from someplace you'd like to go. So as we opened each bottle, people had to tell their story about why/how they chose their wine. It ended up being very interesting! People brought wines from all over Italy and Europe, and there were even a couple from the States that were brought back. It gave us a chance to try MANY different types of wines, and I just thought the whole idea of it was very clever. So, may have to do that again sometime!
Another interesting event that I wanted to share has been regards what the school has been doing to raise money for Haiti. A friend of ours here in Niraj's program has spent many years in Haiti working with "Partners in Health." He was obviously very affected by the tragedy from last week and put in a great deal of time and effort to raise money for the organization through the school. In addition to putting out jars for loose change and setting up websites where people can donate larger amounts, last night was a big "Charitivo" (charity apperitivo) to cap it all off. Myself and the other "ladies of leisure" made appetizer dishes, and people could donate money to buy a small plate of food and some beer/wine. There were people in town that work with the Partners in Health, so the money from the past week was presented to them to take to Haiti. There was an amazing turnout, and last I heard the school ended up raising over 2500 euros!! It was incredible to see people come together and give, even though we are half a world away.
So, guess that's about all for now. We are leaving on Wednesday for Spain and are getting so incredibly anxious! It has been freezing in Bologna this past week, so a bit of sunshine and *hopefully* warm weather is calling our names. Then, from there we head straight to Vienna for the big ball... so next time I write there will be much to talk about!!
Ciao tutti!
First fun thing: Niraj and I went to a BYOB event with the wine club last weekend. I thought the event was such a great idea that I had to share it! Since we were all coming back from winter vacation, the idea was to bring a bottle of wine that was either from the place you went over break or from someplace you'd like to go. So as we opened each bottle, people had to tell their story about why/how they chose their wine. It ended up being very interesting! People brought wines from all over Italy and Europe, and there were even a couple from the States that were brought back. It gave us a chance to try MANY different types of wines, and I just thought the whole idea of it was very clever. So, may have to do that again sometime!
Another interesting event that I wanted to share has been regards what the school has been doing to raise money for Haiti. A friend of ours here in Niraj's program has spent many years in Haiti working with "Partners in Health." He was obviously very affected by the tragedy from last week and put in a great deal of time and effort to raise money for the organization through the school. In addition to putting out jars for loose change and setting up websites where people can donate larger amounts, last night was a big "Charitivo" (charity apperitivo) to cap it all off. Myself and the other "ladies of leisure" made appetizer dishes, and people could donate money to buy a small plate of food and some beer/wine. There were people in town that work with the Partners in Health, so the money from the past week was presented to them to take to Haiti. There was an amazing turnout, and last I heard the school ended up raising over 2500 euros!! It was incredible to see people come together and give, even though we are half a world away.
So, guess that's about all for now. We are leaving on Wednesday for Spain and are getting so incredibly anxious! It has been freezing in Bologna this past week, so a bit of sunshine and *hopefully* warm weather is calling our names. Then, from there we head straight to Vienna for the big ball... so next time I write there will be much to talk about!!
Ciao tutti!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Back in the Swing of Things
I recently realized that it was a bit of a challenge getting used to the Italian lifestyle after being back in the States for two weeks. It's remarkably simple to get used to microwaves, dishwashers, clothes dryers, driving a car, and English television on big screen TVs! It took awhile, but I think I'm finally feeling like an Italian again.
Niraj, on the other hand, didn't have a choice but to get back into full swing right away. This week is his last week of classes and then finals begin (queue some dooms-day music). He has been studying non-stop, and I think he feels like there just aren't enough hours in the day. Ah, the joys of grad school! Anyway, we have a nice 8 day, end-of-term trip to Andalucia (Southern Spain) right after his last final so there is a light at the end of the tunnel... I also just had an exam, part of which consisted of talking for 10 minutes to my Italian instructor about "Mangiare in Italia (Eating in Italy)." I guess if you can do that then can claim your Italian is somewhat decent!
Some more news about Niraj is that he has officially been offered a summer internship with the State Department! He's still applying to other places to see what else is out there, but we were both very excited about the offer and the chance for him to start work in D.C.
On another note, I also wanted to put a link to pictures from our most recent day trip to Siena. So, check 'em out! Siena is a gorgeous town in Tuscany and is exactly what you think of when you envision being under the Tuscan sun. And we even did have sun for part of the day! It was full of tourists, but some of the sights were quite spectacular. It's up in the hills which means you get a nice little workout too while walking across town. They also have the most beautiful Duomo there! You can see in the pictures that the white and gray facade on top of the steps is really gorgeous; however, Niraj said the black-and-white stripped columns inside were reminiscent of Alice In Wonderland. I, on the other hand, thought they were stunning! The most spectacular thing about this cathedral, though, was the floors. Inside the marble floors were covered with pictures and depictions of various saints and Biblical stories. Some of it is even so sacred that they cover up it year round revealing it on only on the high holidays. We also had a fantastic meal at a little tucked away Trattoria (it is Italy after all so you must discuss food!). Niraj had the most amazing yellow squash soup, which apparently is a Tuscan delicacy. That soup alone would probably be worth a trip back! All in all, it was another great day trip.
So, that's about it from our side of the world. We'll be back soon with results from final exams and updates on some BIG TRIPS that we have on the horizon!!
Ciao ragazzi!
Niraj, on the other hand, didn't have a choice but to get back into full swing right away. This week is his last week of classes and then finals begin (queue some dooms-day music). He has been studying non-stop, and I think he feels like there just aren't enough hours in the day. Ah, the joys of grad school! Anyway, we have a nice 8 day, end-of-term trip to Andalucia (Southern Spain) right after his last final so there is a light at the end of the tunnel... I also just had an exam, part of which consisted of talking for 10 minutes to my Italian instructor about "Mangiare in Italia (Eating in Italy)." I guess if you can do that then can claim your Italian is somewhat decent!
Some more news about Niraj is that he has officially been offered a summer internship with the State Department! He's still applying to other places to see what else is out there, but we were both very excited about the offer and the chance for him to start work in D.C.
On another note, I also wanted to put a link to pictures from our most recent day trip to Siena. So, check 'em out! Siena is a gorgeous town in Tuscany and is exactly what you think of when you envision being under the Tuscan sun. And we even did have sun for part of the day! It was full of tourists, but some of the sights were quite spectacular. It's up in the hills which means you get a nice little workout too while walking across town. They also have the most beautiful Duomo there! You can see in the pictures that the white and gray facade on top of the steps is really gorgeous; however, Niraj said the black-and-white stripped columns inside were reminiscent of Alice In Wonderland. I, on the other hand, thought they were stunning! The most spectacular thing about this cathedral, though, was the floors. Inside the marble floors were covered with pictures and depictions of various saints and Biblical stories. Some of it is even so sacred that they cover up it year round revealing it on only on the high holidays. We also had a fantastic meal at a little tucked away Trattoria (it is Italy after all so you must discuss food!). Niraj had the most amazing yellow squash soup, which apparently is a Tuscan delicacy. That soup alone would probably be worth a trip back! All in all, it was another great day trip.
So, that's about it from our side of the world. We'll be back soon with results from final exams and updates on some BIG TRIPS that we have on the horizon!!
Ciao ragazzi!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Felice Anno Nuovo!
Happy 2010! Felice Anno Nuovo!
It is hard to believe that 2009 has already ended and that we are through the 1st decade of the 21st century! Niraj and I hope everyone had a great night ringing in the New Year and hope everyone has a wonderful 2010!
We have both been full of the holiday spirit and have been celebrating in many ways. Niraj spent 3 days in Sarajevo over the Christmas holiday while I was back in Denver. He says he spent more time in transit than actually in the city, but that it was just how he pictured it. He got a great taste of Eastern Europe, and is already wanting to go back for more. I had a great time in Denver seeing friends and family, and I also greatly enjoyed pigging out on non-Italian food for awhile! I don't think a burger and fries or the famous holiday green bean casserole has ever tasted so good!
I was back in Bologna for my birthday and had a great day celebrating. Niraj and I went to Venezia (Venice) for the day. We had heard rumors of flooding and how the city was still recovering from the winter storms, but we decided to check it out anyway. We got there, and sure enough the city was flooded! The tide was high and water on sidewalks along the Grand Canal was above the ankles. The city polizia put up elevated planks throughout the city for people to walk on in single-file lines. San Marco's square and inside the famous Basilica was even flooded! It was a lot of fun though, and we definitely saw the city in a new light. By the afternoon the tide receded and everything began to drain out. Check out our Venice Pictures! We made it back to Bologna for dinner, and Niraj surprised me with an ice cream cake from Bologna's best gelato place... complete with candles! It was definitely a great birthday.
Last night was also a great night, and we had a lot of fun celebrating the New Year with our friends here. We started off the evening by going to a friend's place for a big potluck. There were about 20 people, and we spent hours eating amazing food, drinking wine, and just catching up on our breaks. The night even included a game of boys vs. girls charades which always guarantees a good time. Around 22:00 we all headed down to Piazza Maggiore in the city center for the festivities. There was a live band, and it seemed like the entire city of Bologna turned out for the event! When the clock struck midnight, everybody started lighting off fireworks, dancing in the streets, and spraying champagne. We were lucky enough to be surrounded by tons of Niraj's classmates and our friends, and everybody had a great time. A little later we walked down to I Due Torri (the two towers) and continued our dancing in the streets to a live polka band. People were in such great spirits and really enjoyed themselves. It was such a fun night! Below is a picture of Niraj and I in the Piazza, and a picture of me and some of my girls out here.
So, all in all we have had a great holiday season! It's hard to believe that it's almost time to get back to the normal working and school routine, but we were lucky to have so many fun adventures for Christmas and New Years. We even have more travels planned for the weekend, so keep checking back for more stories!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! BUON ANNO!!!
It is hard to believe that 2009 has already ended and that we are through the 1st decade of the 21st century! Niraj and I hope everyone had a great night ringing in the New Year and hope everyone has a wonderful 2010!
We have both been full of the holiday spirit and have been celebrating in many ways. Niraj spent 3 days in Sarajevo over the Christmas holiday while I was back in Denver. He says he spent more time in transit than actually in the city, but that it was just how he pictured it. He got a great taste of Eastern Europe, and is already wanting to go back for more. I had a great time in Denver seeing friends and family, and I also greatly enjoyed pigging out on non-Italian food for awhile! I don't think a burger and fries or the famous holiday green bean casserole has ever tasted so good!
I was back in Bologna for my birthday and had a great day celebrating. Niraj and I went to Venezia (Venice) for the day. We had heard rumors of flooding and how the city was still recovering from the winter storms, but we decided to check it out anyway. We got there, and sure enough the city was flooded! The tide was high and water on sidewalks along the Grand Canal was above the ankles. The city polizia put up elevated planks throughout the city for people to walk on in single-file lines. San Marco's square and inside the famous Basilica was even flooded! It was a lot of fun though, and we definitely saw the city in a new light. By the afternoon the tide receded and everything began to drain out. Check out our Venice Pictures! We made it back to Bologna for dinner, and Niraj surprised me with an ice cream cake from Bologna's best gelato place... complete with candles! It was definitely a great birthday.
Last night was also a great night, and we had a lot of fun celebrating the New Year with our friends here. We started off the evening by going to a friend's place for a big potluck. There were about 20 people, and we spent hours eating amazing food, drinking wine, and just catching up on our breaks. The night even included a game of boys vs. girls charades which always guarantees a good time. Around 22:00 we all headed down to Piazza Maggiore in the city center for the festivities. There was a live band, and it seemed like the entire city of Bologna turned out for the event! When the clock struck midnight, everybody started lighting off fireworks, dancing in the streets, and spraying champagne. We were lucky enough to be surrounded by tons of Niraj's classmates and our friends, and everybody had a great time. A little later we walked down to I Due Torri (the two towers) and continued our dancing in the streets to a live polka band. People were in such great spirits and really enjoyed themselves. It was such a fun night! Below is a picture of Niraj and I in the Piazza, and a picture of me and some of my girls out here.
So, all in all we have had a great holiday season! It's hard to believe that it's almost time to get back to the normal working and school routine, but we were lucky to have so many fun adventures for Christmas and New Years. We even have more travels planned for the weekend, so keep checking back for more stories!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! BUON ANNO!!!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Buon Natale! Merry Christmas!
Buona sera e buon natale!
Before I forget, I wanted to post the pictures from Zermatt (better late than never, right?!). Now maybe you can begin to grasp just how beautiful it is out there! Niraj and I still can't stop talking about the hike up to the house, the cheese fondue, and the wide open slopes.
Since the last post, we have been extremely busy... which is quite typical this time of year. Niraj has been swamped with school papers and final projects, and I got wrapped up in various things around town. I also did a day trip to Florence with the Italian Art History Class which was quite an experience. We went with a woman who is a world-renowned art critic, and I must say your perception of art changes a lot when you look at it with an expert. There were about 20 students there for the day, and we went everywhere from the Uffizi gallery to the museum where David is. I'm still amazed that we are living somewhere where we are able to have breakfast at home, take a short train ride, see amazing sights, and be home again in time for dinner!
Aside from the school work and random excursions, Niraj and I have had a great time getting into the holiday spirit and taking in the decorated city of Bologna. We spent an evening walking around enjoying the lights and the Christmas trees, and it's amazing to think Christmas is only a few days away. There have been many holiday parties, and a lot of time has been spent searching Bologna for the perfect gifts!
I'm currently in Denver enjoying some time with the family, and Niraj is in Bologna buried in 12" of snow! Apparently after I left the city got dumped on. Niraj has been amused watching the unprepared inhabitants of Bologna trying to sand the street w/pseudo-sand-trucks and parallel park in their tiny front wheel drive cars. Below are a few pictures of the school buried in white fluff!
I can't even imagine the city with that much snow, but he is staying warm, getting caught up with school (and sleep), relaxing, and overall enjoying some time off. I'll be heading back just before New Years, and we will then jump immediately into our next travel adventures!
So, I guess that's about all from our end for now. We want to send our best wishes and warm thoughts to all of our friends and family, and we hope you have a very Merry Christmas! We love and miss you all!
BUON NATALE!!!!
Before I forget, I wanted to post the pictures from Zermatt (better late than never, right?!). Now maybe you can begin to grasp just how beautiful it is out there! Niraj and I still can't stop talking about the hike up to the house, the cheese fondue, and the wide open slopes.
Since the last post, we have been extremely busy... which is quite typical this time of year. Niraj has been swamped with school papers and final projects, and I got wrapped up in various things around town. I also did a day trip to Florence with the Italian Art History Class which was quite an experience. We went with a woman who is a world-renowned art critic, and I must say your perception of art changes a lot when you look at it with an expert. There were about 20 students there for the day, and we went everywhere from the Uffizi gallery to the museum where David is. I'm still amazed that we are living somewhere where we are able to have breakfast at home, take a short train ride, see amazing sights, and be home again in time for dinner!
Aside from the school work and random excursions, Niraj and I have had a great time getting into the holiday spirit and taking in the decorated city of Bologna. We spent an evening walking around enjoying the lights and the Christmas trees, and it's amazing to think Christmas is only a few days away. There have been many holiday parties, and a lot of time has been spent searching Bologna for the perfect gifts!
I'm currently in Denver enjoying some time with the family, and Niraj is in Bologna buried in 12" of snow! Apparently after I left the city got dumped on. Niraj has been amused watching the unprepared inhabitants of Bologna trying to sand the street w/pseudo-sand-trucks and parallel park in their tiny front wheel drive cars. Below are a few pictures of the school buried in white fluff!
I can't even imagine the city with that much snow, but he is staying warm, getting caught up with school (and sleep), relaxing, and overall enjoying some time off. I'll be heading back just before New Years, and we will then jump immediately into our next travel adventures!
So, I guess that's about all from our end for now. We want to send our best wishes and warm thoughts to all of our friends and family, and we hope you have a very Merry Christmas! We love and miss you all!
BUON NATALE!!!!
Christmas lights and Swiss Alps
Buona sera e felice Dicembre!
It's hard to believe that December is here and that the holidays are just around the corner. I've been taking more time to walk around Bologna lately just to watch all of the Christmas decorations go up and catch some of the holiday spirit. I decided to bring the Christmas spirit to the apartment as well and splurged on a 1 Euro Christmas tree! Doesn't it look fantastic?! :) And yes, it is sitting on the kitchen table and is slightly less 12" tall...
This city really does seem to come alive this time of year, and you can't help but smile as you walk around town. There are vendors on the street corners roasting chestnuts, a make-shift ice skating rink has been put up on the north end of town, there's a Christmas market around the corner with homemade crafts and cioccolata calda, store windows are covered with garland and snowflakes, shoppers are searching for the perfect gifts, and a giant Christmas tree is now standing in the middle of Piazza Nettuno. The city is full of porticoes that cover all of sidewalks, and there are various decorations hanging in all of them lighting up the streets. These stars are one of the many variations, but so far have been my favorite.
Another wonderful thing about the holidays is that ski season officially begins! And this year Niraj and I did something we've always dreamed of... skied the Swiss Alps!!!
This past weekend we hopped on a bus with 42 other Johns Hopkins students to Zermatt, Switzerland for 2 days of fun in the Alps. A fellow student who is from Switzerland was kind enough to organize the entire thing, so we really did get the locals perspective which made the experience even more special.
Zermatt was an amazing town and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. Everywhere you look you can see the Matterhorn towering over the town, and you can't help but stop and stare. We stayed at this huge house on top of a hill (literally, we had to do 30 minutes of switchbacks in the snow just to get to the house!!), and when you stepped out of the front door you were looking over the entire village of Zermatt and staring right into the Matterhorn. Our first night in the house everyone hung out in the huge common room (keep in mind there were 44 of us) and had food, talked, danced, and let all of the stress of school melt away.
Once we hiked back down the switchbacks (or slid down as we often ended up doing instead) and ventured into the city, it was just as stunning. There is a river running right through the village, lots of shops and bakeries, and skiiers everywhere. There were white Christmas lights and stars on every building (the Swiss don't seem to like colored Christmas lights), and I even saw a large tower that was transformed into a gigantic Nutcracker!
As for the skiing, it was incredible. After conquering the 90 minute lift ticket line and finally making it to the gondola, Niraj and I were both amazed at how gorgeous the mountain really was. The Matterhorn is in full view the entire time you are skiing, and the trails are all wide open and vast due to the lack of trees. It was still preseason which meant limited number of open slopes, but it also meant a limited number of people which everyone enjoyed. Throughout the resort, you can move around by chairlift, gondola, cable car, T-bar, and even train! I can't even describe how incredible everything was up there.
After skiing, our trip organizer had arranged for a full 3 course meal at a local restaurant. We had salad with famous local meats, bread with cheese fondue, white wine, dessert, and coffee with schnapps. The food was amazing!!! Our table of 4 polished off the cheese fondue and even learned all of the traditions of what to do when you drop your bread in the pot. Our group took over the entire restaurant, and stayed there for hours talking, eating, and enjoying the entire experience. It was the perfect "apres sci" meal!
All in all, our first trip to the Swiss Alps was unforgettable. We got to know many other students here better and were so fortunate to have a local show us around and enhance our experience by teaching us about the culture and the lifestyle.
So, that's been the big news from our end lately. Next week is Niraj's last week of class before the holiday break, so everyone is getting antsy to have some time off. I'm heading back to Denver for Christmas while Niraj travels around here, and then we are talking about going to Slovenia and Croatia for New Years. There are already lots of things being planned for the New Year, so we are always thinking about the next trips and adventures!!
We hope everyone back home is doing well and enjoying the start of winter. Arrivederci per ora! Bye for now!
It's hard to believe that December is here and that the holidays are just around the corner. I've been taking more time to walk around Bologna lately just to watch all of the Christmas decorations go up and catch some of the holiday spirit. I decided to bring the Christmas spirit to the apartment as well and splurged on a 1 Euro Christmas tree! Doesn't it look fantastic?! :) And yes, it is sitting on the kitchen table and is slightly less 12" tall...
This city really does seem to come alive this time of year, and you can't help but smile as you walk around town. There are vendors on the street corners roasting chestnuts, a make-shift ice skating rink has been put up on the north end of town, there's a Christmas market around the corner with homemade crafts and cioccolata calda, store windows are covered with garland and snowflakes, shoppers are searching for the perfect gifts, and a giant Christmas tree is now standing in the middle of Piazza Nettuno. The city is full of porticoes that cover all of sidewalks, and there are various decorations hanging in all of them lighting up the streets. These stars are one of the many variations, but so far have been my favorite.
Another wonderful thing about the holidays is that ski season officially begins! And this year Niraj and I did something we've always dreamed of... skied the Swiss Alps!!!
This past weekend we hopped on a bus with 42 other Johns Hopkins students to Zermatt, Switzerland for 2 days of fun in the Alps. A fellow student who is from Switzerland was kind enough to organize the entire thing, so we really did get the locals perspective which made the experience even more special.
Zermatt was an amazing town and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. Everywhere you look you can see the Matterhorn towering over the town, and you can't help but stop and stare. We stayed at this huge house on top of a hill (literally, we had to do 30 minutes of switchbacks in the snow just to get to the house!!), and when you stepped out of the front door you were looking over the entire village of Zermatt and staring right into the Matterhorn. Our first night in the house everyone hung out in the huge common room (keep in mind there were 44 of us) and had food, talked, danced, and let all of the stress of school melt away.
Once we hiked back down the switchbacks (or slid down as we often ended up doing instead) and ventured into the city, it was just as stunning. There is a river running right through the village, lots of shops and bakeries, and skiiers everywhere. There were white Christmas lights and stars on every building (the Swiss don't seem to like colored Christmas lights), and I even saw a large tower that was transformed into a gigantic Nutcracker!
As for the skiing, it was incredible. After conquering the 90 minute lift ticket line and finally making it to the gondola, Niraj and I were both amazed at how gorgeous the mountain really was. The Matterhorn is in full view the entire time you are skiing, and the trails are all wide open and vast due to the lack of trees. It was still preseason which meant limited number of open slopes, but it also meant a limited number of people which everyone enjoyed. Throughout the resort, you can move around by chairlift, gondola, cable car, T-bar, and even train! I can't even describe how incredible everything was up there.
After skiing, our trip organizer had arranged for a full 3 course meal at a local restaurant. We had salad with famous local meats, bread with cheese fondue, white wine, dessert, and coffee with schnapps. The food was amazing!!! Our table of 4 polished off the cheese fondue and even learned all of the traditions of what to do when you drop your bread in the pot. Our group took over the entire restaurant, and stayed there for hours talking, eating, and enjoying the entire experience. It was the perfect "apres sci" meal!
All in all, our first trip to the Swiss Alps was unforgettable. We got to know many other students here better and were so fortunate to have a local show us around and enhance our experience by teaching us about the culture and the lifestyle.
So, that's been the big news from our end lately. Next week is Niraj's last week of class before the holiday break, so everyone is getting antsy to have some time off. I'm heading back to Denver for Christmas while Niraj travels around here, and then we are talking about going to Slovenia and Croatia for New Years. There are already lots of things being planned for the New Year, so we are always thinking about the next trips and adventures!!
We hope everyone back home is doing well and enjoying the start of winter. Arrivederci per ora! Bye for now!
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