Memory Monday - Siena, Italy

One of my absolute favorite small towns in Italy is Siena.  It isn't a quaint seaside town like Positano nor a colossal capital like Rome but the uniqueness of Siena's character is astounding.  It's no wonder that it has been declared a World Heritage Site.  The history of the town is fascinating, all beginning with the legend of Romulus and Remus, the she-wolf suckling infants that can be seen throughout the town.  Siena is divided up into 17 different neighborhoods, each named after a different animal (real or mystic).  Ten out of these seventeen neighborhoods compete in the Palio horse races that happen twice a year, once in july and once in August.  The Piazza del Campo is the town square where twice a year a horse from every neighborhood competes in the horse races.  Everyone in town, adorned in their neighborhood's color and mascot comes out to cheer and celebrate.  The summer sun and spectacular mass of people elicits more joyful loyalty than thought possible.  Standing on the Piazza's brick flooring it's hard to imagine it packed with people for a 90 second race.  The madness seems to make it that much more exciting and special.

After stepping into the Siena Duomo (cathedral) I had to pick up my jaw off the floor. The ceiling, more specifically the dome, gives an optical illusion that it rises for miles. It was added by the world renowned architect and painter Bernini.  Upon walking further in you realize that the columns are black and white striped.  These represent Siena's coat of arms and the colors incorporated in it.  In the center is the Pulpit which possesses an intricacy that is beyond usual carvings.  The outside incorporates scenes from the Last Judgement and the life of Christ, all carved in marble. My favorite by a long shot is the adjoining part of the church called the Piccolomini Library.  It houses precious choir books encrusted in gold and frescoes that look illuminated by a non existent backlight.  It is so delicate and potent at the same time that you feel almost entranced.  As you walk in a recording is playing of a choir singing the songs in the books displayed before you.  You really get a feel for what it was actually like to hear them sung.  Not a square inch is left of unpainted walls. The story of Pope Pius II is being told in larger than life murals. On the ceiling are paintings of mythical creatures that push you to the border of the real and unrealistic.

I'm begging you, if you have any chance to visit Siena you can't pass it up!

Memory Monday - Rome, Italy

This time last year I acquired my first taste of Rome.  It was incredibly invigorating to be walking where chariots once raced by and where you consciously had to side-step around columns. The history of Rome is powerful and overwhelming.  I remember how scared we all were to go to our first big city in Italy.  My roommates and I were talking of muggings, keeping our passports inside our pants, and gypsies' tactics of stealing by pretending to drop a baby doll at your feet in order to steal your wallet.  I think someone even mentioned they use big sword like knives to slash the bottom of your backpack. Verging on the dramatic, we freaked ourselves out.  Looking back at it now it just makes me laugh.  Not only does it remind me of my naivety but also of how far I've come in just a year's time.  Those initial fears have propelled me to desire much more dangerous places.  This first Rome trip is special to me because although I knew I loved to travel, it showed me that I will never stop loving it nor loving the places and people it brings me to. I already posted a bigger post about this trip (when I was sticking to my original plan of blogging abroad) but that doesn't mean i can't revisit it, right?

Here are some of my most favorite pictures of Roma!

 Ciao,
xoxo

Memory Monday - Southern Tuscany, Italy

This past week marked a year from which I left the US to study in Orvieto, Italy.  I've realized that I'm starting to ask the question daily, "what was I doing on this day last year?"  It's a bittersweet feeling to remember such surreal things.  I'm starting to forget the street names, the sometimes strange Italian people I met there and the savory tastes of the delicious food.  I find myself even missing little things, such as carrying an outlet converter and carrying small bills and coins (no one accepts large bills from the ATM). In light of these things that need to be remembered and revisited, I'm going to start Memory Monday.  Since I didn't have many chances to blog when I was abroad, which is something I painfully regret because I wish I could reread my feelings and revelations as they were happening, posting about them might preserve some memories and bring about some new realizations.

This week's memory is Southern Tuscany, Italy.

This place is undoubtedly one of the most whimsical and picturesque places I've ever been. The panoramas couldn't help but make me feel like I was Frances from Under the Tuscan Sun searching for my own villa to remodel (in my dreams right?).  The  curvy drive from Orvieto to Montalcino was only about an hour and a half.  As you drive up the rollings hills and changing shades of green you can't help but snap five million and one pictures. There are ancient olive trees and wild flowers along each side of the road that seem to entice you to peer further towards the horizon. Our first arrival was the Sant' Antimo Abbey, a church just outside of Montalcino's walls.  Walking up to the church there was a serenity in the air that was almost deafening.  The silence was characteristic of it's dwellers, whom are mostly monks.  Since it was raining outside you could hear the squeaky footsteps as we entered the long rectangular church.  It's simplistic yet enormous crucifix standing at the front made me feel small and fragile surrounded by the marble floors and walls. I was hoping that we would catch a prayer service because it is customary of the monks to be singing their hymnals and prayers but unfortunately we missed it. I wish we could have stayed longer in the city itself but the afternoon rain shower was keeping us from exploring everything we wanted to. I would definitely love to visit again.

Some pictures from Montalcino and surrounding smaller towns:

A Natural Wonder of the World

I was so thankful that this last weekend was a long one, thank your Dr. Martin Luther! With the extra day off I made a quick trip up to Flagstaff and to my surprise the Grand Canyon! My co-pilot thankfully objected from any sneak peaks as we were driving up.  It was supposed to be taken in all at once, and for that I couldn't be more appreciative. The Grand Canyon is something more vast and beautiful than I can now or could then fully comprehend.  Stretching over its entirety of 277 miles is the almost fluorescent blue sky.  The contrast of the purple pink and red stained canyon to the cloudless sky was nothing short of a heavenly sight. No picture could fully capture or should capture the complexity of the canyon.  I noticed there was something serene happening as I was looking from behind the barred viewpoint.  It was relatively frigid and there were remnants of snow fall on the ground.  I saw no life other than the fellow visitors and large black birds. It's hard to believe that there are over 1500 plant, 355 bird, 89 mammal, 47 reptile, 9 amphibian and 17 fish species found in the park, as well as 4 Indian Reservations. Where were they all?  A somewhat strange encounter with such a life filled canyon only added to the mystery of it all.  Since the visit was an impromptu one every second looking below made me wish i had brought my tennis shoes! There is so much more to be explored hiking through the canyon, but hopefully none of the 47 reptiles. I now realize that after living in Arizona for most of my life yet never seeing the canyon has undoubtedly dubbed me worst Arizonan ever. Thankfully I no longer have to say that I've never seen the Canyon and turn my head in embarrassment. Next on the list is hiking to the ever talked about Havasupai Falls!

xoxo,
Kasondra