I haven't yet written about politics or Italian government, but there have been some recent events of interest I figured I'd share. Watching the Italian government and their overall way of getting things done has been a somewhat amusing (yet frustrating) past-time, mainly because everything seems so inefficient and corrupt. And these recent Bolognese events show just that!
Typically, the corruption you hear about involves Silvio Berlusconi, the infamous Italian Prime Minister known for alleged Mafia links, excessive control of the Italian media, derogatory treatment of women, and, of course, his recent attack in Milan. Flavio Delbono, the mayor of Bologna, recently made headlines as well, however.
Mayor Delbono came to speak to the students of Johns Hopkins at the beginning of the term. He has been a professor at Hopkins and at the University of Bologna (UniBo) and is a highly educated economist. The fact that Niraj and I heard him speak in such an intimate setting and that he has ties to SAIS makes all this just that more crazy (and, as bad as this may sound, that much more entertaining)!
In the past few weeks, a scandal has erupted in Bologna accusing the Mayor of using taxpayer dollars and council money to fund the affairs he was having. Apparently, he abused his power and embezzled money in order to pay for romantic getaways and extravagant property purchases. Well the story broke, and he was since been forced to resign. So, now there is a woman temporarily in power until the next election in 2011. The Bolognese are all up in arms now not only because of what the Mayor did but also because of what happens now. The region will not hold interim elections to elect a new Mayor, so the temporary replacement has to hold down the fort until then... which means she can do the day to day stuff but cannot make any major decisions. So, in typical Italian fashion, the city of Bologna is deadlocked!
The other kick of the story is that every government employee that he appointed during his tenure was forced to resign as well. One specific case was Nicoletta Mantovani, the widow of Luciano Pavarotti. I also heard her speak a few days ago in an intimate setting, so here is a brief background on that story...
Nicoletta and Pavarotti were both from Emilia-Romagna (Nicoletta from Bologna and Pavarotti from Modena), and they unintentionally met before one of his performances. After talking for a short while, Pavarotti offered her the job to be his personal assistant. Nicoletta was not there to apply for the job, but after some convincing from him decided to accept. Shortly thereafter the two began their affair... Pavarotti was not yet divorced and Nicoletta was 33 years his junior! More scandal! They eventually married, and she continued to plan his events and assisted in his endeavors and organizations until his death.
Until recently when she was forced to resign, Nicoletta was the Bologna City councillor and professional event planner dealing with many major festivals in Bologna and nearby cities. Being put in this position apparently also caused an uproar with accusations that she was appointed based on her status/money and not her background (her background was more natural sciences than the arts). Just another example of corruption and scandal in Italian government I suppose!
Allora, there's the gist of the Bolognese news lately. It sometimes feels like the city of Bologna is in a bubble without any connection to or realization of the world around it, so to some extent that bubble popped! Who knows what'll happen next...
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Carnevale di Venezia
Carnevale 2010 ... What an Experience!
My friend Kate and I went to Venezia for the day on Saturday to check out the Carnevale festivities (unfortunately it was while Niraj had 3 Saturday classes so he had to miss out). It can almost be thought of as Mardi Gras and Halloween all rolled into one, and the costumes are spectacular! See for yourself in these pictures.
We spent the day walking around the city, and every time we turned a corner we would see another breathtaking costume. The Venetians (or whoever they were...) dressed up would gladly stop and pose for pictures, probably happy to show off their masks, make-up, and stunning costumes. There were adults and children of all ages with costumes ranging from colonial-type period outfits, story book characters, animals, and other various colorful figures. A lot of the costumes had almost a dark, mischievous, and almost scandalous side to them which made me wonder what the origins of this festival really are...
In Piazza San Marco there were multiple stages set up with various performances throughout the day. We watched one show near the cuckoo clock which was again a bit twisted and dark. Various men in plastic-looking costumes and expressive face paint came out of the clock as if they were figurines built into the clock. They then proceeded to mime out various skits, yet all the skits seemed to end with them whacking each other on the head with a large club or playing some sort of evil trick! Again, makes you wonder what the real origins of this festival are...
But the masks, oh the masks! I definitely have an obsession with masks and the idea of masquerades, and I have always loved seeing the intricate, colorful, playful masks in the shop windows each time I have been in Venice. Yet it was amazing and a whole new adventure to see them all come alive on the streets on Saturday! Kate and I had a ball people watching, costume watching, and just soaking in the festivities.
All in all, definitely one of the coolest things I have done in Italy so far. I love Halloween and dressing up, and this took it to a whole other level.
Funny thing is, I got back that night with news from Niraj that there was a last minute "Under The Sea" party being thrown by a group of students. So, with the spirit of costumes still in my veins, I had to throw together something for us to wear. After a burst of inspiration, we decided to go as Pi Patel and his Bengal Tiger from the Book Life of Pi. Get it? Ha, ha... clever I know. Here are our "genius" costumes. It was a random night, but we had a good time hanging out with seaweed, starfish, penguins, and other under the sea creatures.
So, that's probably all the costume talk for now, but I'll probably be dreaming of masks and carnevale creatures for some time to come...
My friend Kate and I went to Venezia for the day on Saturday to check out the Carnevale festivities (unfortunately it was while Niraj had 3 Saturday classes so he had to miss out). It can almost be thought of as Mardi Gras and Halloween all rolled into one, and the costumes are spectacular! See for yourself in these pictures.
We spent the day walking around the city, and every time we turned a corner we would see another breathtaking costume. The Venetians (or whoever they were...) dressed up would gladly stop and pose for pictures, probably happy to show off their masks, make-up, and stunning costumes. There were adults and children of all ages with costumes ranging from colonial-type period outfits, story book characters, animals, and other various colorful figures. A lot of the costumes had almost a dark, mischievous, and almost scandalous side to them which made me wonder what the origins of this festival really are...
In Piazza San Marco there were multiple stages set up with various performances throughout the day. We watched one show near the cuckoo clock which was again a bit twisted and dark. Various men in plastic-looking costumes and expressive face paint came out of the clock as if they were figurines built into the clock. They then proceeded to mime out various skits, yet all the skits seemed to end with them whacking each other on the head with a large club or playing some sort of evil trick! Again, makes you wonder what the real origins of this festival are...
But the masks, oh the masks! I definitely have an obsession with masks and the idea of masquerades, and I have always loved seeing the intricate, colorful, playful masks in the shop windows each time I have been in Venice. Yet it was amazing and a whole new adventure to see them all come alive on the streets on Saturday! Kate and I had a ball people watching, costume watching, and just soaking in the festivities.
All in all, definitely one of the coolest things I have done in Italy so far. I love Halloween and dressing up, and this took it to a whole other level.
Funny thing is, I got back that night with news from Niraj that there was a last minute "Under The Sea" party being thrown by a group of students. So, with the spirit of costumes still in my veins, I had to throw together something for us to wear. After a burst of inspiration, we decided to go as Pi Patel and his Bengal Tiger from the Book Life of Pi. Get it? Ha, ha... clever I know. Here are our "genius" costumes. It was a random night, but we had a good time hanging out with seaweed, starfish, penguins, and other under the sea creatures.
So, that's probably all the costume talk for now, but I'll probably be dreaming of masks and carnevale creatures for some time to come...
Friday, February 5, 2010
We had a ball in Vienna!
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!
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!
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!!!
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