World Tour Part Deux

Nov 16, 2009

Autumn in Hyde Park

I happen to be reading in the park right around the time that the Hyde Park maintenance crew were organizing the fallen leaves. I watched them for a while carry out the task. Each move was precise and strategic. It was also a beautiful day.

Note the perfect line

Also watching the crew at work

Nov 7, 2009

London Updates

Life here in London has been pretty routine, in a good way. School during the week with scatters of rambling, sun, showers, museums, shows exhibits. My friend Lauren and I went to see Wicked on Halloween which I loved. Mr. Ben Schuman-Stoler also came to town for about a week. He was a great visitor because he loves to sit around in cafe's as much as I do. We also ventured out to Bricklane where there is some great vintage. To be honest the quantity overwhelmed me and when that happens, I have an easier time just buying nothing. Anyway, it's a bit far (relatively of course) from South Kensington but I took advantage and we ate at an Israeli owned felafel place I read about called Pilpel. It was really good but no Beer-Sheva bus stop felafel...made me miss Israel mostly.

Fellas playing chess at one of my favorite cafes...best place for fresh mint tea

The museums have great exhibits now and I didn't want to be rushing to see them all at the end of my trip...proper time management. One of my favorites was the National Portrait Gallery, right next to the National Gallery. They have a Gay Icons Exhibit (did you know Walt Whitman was gay?) as well as a 60's Beatles to Bowie exhibit. The gallery is quite large and has lots of different rooms with both older, painted portraits of old important british royalty, scientists, politicians, and philosophers (not as boring as I'm making it sound, they're actually quite beautiful), and contemporary portraits ranging from photography to painting to other mixed media). As far as field trips go, we haven't has as many since after the break. We did go to cute old cambridge for a day and took a Charles Darwin tour. I've also started a new elective entitles Challenges and Change in British Education. Next Monday we're going to VERY prestigious, medieval type preparatory school called Eton to...gain a little perspective. Should be interesting.

Making mischief as usual...this is a young Darwin sculpture in Cambridge

London Blokes

Some Guerilla performers outside the Portrait Gallery

Here are some photos from a night-time walk in London-town:

I've also been watching a lot of movies lately and making more time for leisure reading and learning, which is nice. My latest film recommendations are Monty Python's Life of Brian, My Fair Lady, and Inglorious Bastards (not out for rent yet in the states, I saw it in the theatre because films are belated here). It's turned autumn here in london and soon it will be winter. You can tell by the increasing greyness in my photos. It's already started getting dark at 5:00. The weather isn't bothering me, at least not yet, and reading Hyde Park is showing another, very beautiful side of itself. I was there the other daying and the city employees were doing leaf maintenance. A very tedious but strategically done task, I was quite impressed with their methods.

DLR train racing by

Nov 4, 2009

From London of many gardens and endless tea to Italy of much art and endless Gelato

I haven’t posted in a very very long time because I have been insanely busy and insanely pre-occupied. I know this Italy post is long overdue and again, I would write more--and more interestingly--if I had more time. Luckily I always take photos and hopefully they tell some sort of story or offer proper insight. Italy was a great experience and I’m really glad I chose to go there for my fall break. I spent the trip with another girl on the CGS program named Thandi. I had a great time getting to know her. She’s adventurous and open-minded, and more importantly, likes to explore places and ideas as much as I do. Our itinerary was from north to south. We started in Venice first, then took a train to Florence and from there, finished in Rome. Each city was definitely unique compared to other in the world as well as to each other. Overall I’d say Italians are very friendly people (well maybe just the men…well maybe just the men who work in gelato shops). The food was great and the art was better, not to mention we were lucky enough to have sun everyday!

Venice first!

At San Marco, right after buying that stupid hat

Venice didn't smell as we were told it would, but maybe the wind was working in our favor. My favorite part about the city was that you can feel entirely lost in a maze of narrow roads and then all of sudden come upon an unexpected large plaza opening. It felt like I could hear music throughout the entire day.

When the moon hits your eye...

Making all types of friends

We wasted a bit to much sun-time trying to decide which mask to buy

My camera died...taking a sunset picture to send to mama...still wearing the stupid hat

More sunsets for lucky-girl traveler

Firenze Second!

View from Piazza Michelangelo

Of three cities I think it's safe to say Florence was my favorite. Too be fair, I can't say exactly why because it doesn't have as much character as Venice and Rome. I guess it was a sort of combination of both the cities and in that sense offers everything needed, or at least wanted. In other words, pretty views, charming streets, great food, and great art. We also LOVED our hostel there. We became good friends with the manager, Franco. He almost cried when I told him I already felt at home in the first hour! Franco also took us to the basement of the building the hostel was a part of and showed us a hidden area of tunnels where Jews were hidden during WWII. Oh...and the sun was out the entire time

Franco...standing 5''1? 5''2?

Underground WWII hideaways

Illegal photo of the David

One of the main plazas, our hostel was right next door

Stumbled upon art

Stumbled upon Sausage...

Stumbled upon Italian diplomat...

I prefer the Basilica di Santa Maria at night...do I sound snobby yet?

umm, beef jerky I think? Definitely dried meet, definitely didn't smell good

No, this isn't India

I believe that one was a tri-scoop...chocolate, pistacio, and amaretto

(I lied, I don't "believe", I remember exactly)

Rome third!

Co-LASAL-eum

The main things running through my head at the Colosseum were Russell Crow, my brothers running around the place pretending to be gladiators, and the phrase "Strength and honor"

Rome was all about the sites. There is a lot to see and to quote Sara Golden "You could spend like 3 days in Vatican city alone". I had a pretty good plan for seeing the city and still being able to relax and explore and it all worked out well. Everything is easy to get to and the lines weren't nearly as long as we were told they would be. Traveler hint: book tickets ahead online whenever possible. The only waiting we did for the vatican was like long walk past the long line and the employee scanning our tickets immediately for entrance. The art inside the Vatican was unlike anything I've ever seen in the amount of consistent detail in such a large space. We went to the Spanish steps, Trevi, and one of the coolest/most unique things was the Cappuccini Crypt. Mom told me to go. It's a series of rooms all decorated artistically with human bones. As Thandi said "It's one of the creepiest and most beautiful things I've ever seen". Below is a picture I googled of it because you aren't really allowed to take any inside. This is just one room of many.

The absolute highlight of Rome was going to the Great Synagogue where my grandparents were married. It's located in the Jewish Ghetto and right across the river from the trendy neighborhood, Trastevere. I wasn't allowed to take pictures on the inside but maybe it can be googled I'm not sure. The inside is stunning. There is giant stained glass panels, detailed & colorful painting, and embellishments all throughout. I felt a really strong connection with the building. I also felt thankful and I also missed my grandparents a lot. I bought a Chai (not chai like a chai-tea latte, chai the like hebrew word for life_ charm for my necklance there. It reminded me of some thing my Grandma Lisa would have worn. I feel lucky that my grandparents made it there and I feel lucky to be alive and fortunate enough to be able to have gone there. As Mr. Bob Marley says "if you know your history then you would know where you're comin from".