It is very easy, as I have learned, to just sit around the architecture studio all day, catching up on news back home or watching TV shows on the internet (with a little bit of drafting and design work thrown in, of course) without once setting foot outside. I've been guilty of this a couple of times, but I always try to get out, do a bit of exploring, and see something new I haven't seen before. It's crazy to think that even after being here for a couple months there are dozens and dozens of streets not even five minutes away that I have never walked down. There are still hundreds of churches I haven't peaked inside. When I have some free time in my schedule I might decide to take a different route home, and sometimes I get lucky and stumble upon one of the many hidden gems that exist down the backstreets of Rome.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Reflections on Two Months in Rome
After two hectic weeks of running from place to place in three different countries it has been nice to come back and get settled back into the everyday routine here in Rome. After spending the better part of two months overseas, I've learned many things about both architecture and culture. The great thing is that I continue to learn new things every single day. Life in Rome is full of different things to do and if one takes advantage of these opportunities, the experience is all the more special. I've tried to see as much as I can and will continue to do so as time continues. That way, I can get everything possible out of the eight months I will be spending in this beautiful place.
It is very easy, as I have learned, to just sit around the architecture studio all day, catching up on news back home or watching TV shows on the internet (with a little bit of drafting and design work thrown in, of course) without once setting foot outside. I've been guilty of this a couple of times, but I always try to get out, do a bit of exploring, and see something new I haven't seen before. It's crazy to think that even after being here for a couple months there are dozens and dozens of streets not even five minutes away that I have never walked down. There are still hundreds of churches I haven't peaked inside. When I have some free time in my schedule I might decide to take a different route home, and sometimes I get lucky and stumble upon one of the many hidden gems that exist down the backstreets of Rome.
The sun now sets around 5pm, the rain has become more frequent, and the trees along the Tiber have slowly but surely begun to lose their leaves. Fall has made its way to Rome and with it comes colder temperatures. Things are literally changing right before my eyes. As the year progresses, I'll continue my travels around Europe, but I'll always find my way back to Rome where I can still discover new things every day. It truly is a remarkable city to live in.
It is very easy, as I have learned, to just sit around the architecture studio all day, catching up on news back home or watching TV shows on the internet (with a little bit of drafting and design work thrown in, of course) without once setting foot outside. I've been guilty of this a couple of times, but I always try to get out, do a bit of exploring, and see something new I haven't seen before. It's crazy to think that even after being here for a couple months there are dozens and dozens of streets not even five minutes away that I have never walked down. There are still hundreds of churches I haven't peaked inside. When I have some free time in my schedule I might decide to take a different route home, and sometimes I get lucky and stumble upon one of the many hidden gems that exist down the backstreets of Rome.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Island Hopping on Santorini and Ios
No trip to Greece is complete without taking a couple days to explore at least one of its more than 6,000 islands located in the Aegean Sea. The landscape/seascape of the islands is different compared to much of mainland Greece and they are a lot less crowded and noisy that the hustle and bustle of the big cities of Athens and Thessaloniki. The architecture of the islands is also much different, as the sprawl of modern apartment buildings is replaced by tightly packed whitewashed homes on hills punctuated by the blue domes of multiple churches. After our time in Athens, we spent a couple days exploring two of the more well known islands, Santorini and Ios, and the beautiful landscapes and architecture located on them.
I awoke around 7:15am after a long, uncomfortable night of sleeping on a ferry and upon looking out the window was greeted by the towering cliffs of Santorini, the first of the islands we would be exploring. After docking at the port, we were picked up and taken to our hostel on the far side of the island. After getting settled at the hostel, we rented some ATVs from the bike shop right next door and spent the rest of the day exploring the island.
Santorini is a volcanic island like many of the islands in the Aegean, but what makes Santorini unique is that the island the volcano formed rings and ancient caldera that collapsed into the sea a long, long time ago. So, basically the entire western side of the island is perched on high cliffs overlooking the ancient sea-filled caldera while the eastern side slopes down towards long expanses of blank and red volcanic sand beaches. The island is most known for the whitewashed beauty of its two largest towns along the western edge of the island, Fira and Oia, and the beautiful sunsets one can see across the caldera.
The beautiful architecture of Santorini
Having ATVs was extremely convenient as it allowed us to explore the entire island in a relatively short amount of time. We went from end to end, spending time in the northern most town of Oia and the main town of Fira in the middle, while still having time to catch a sunset at the lighthouse on the southern tip of the island. The combination of scenery and architecture along the way was incredible. Oia and Fira are built into the sides of the cliffs and homes are literally stacked on top of one another. As you walk through the narrow streets you emerge on the edge of the cliffs and are presented with a sweeping view of the rest of the island and the sea hundreds of feet below.
The sunset on Santorini. Still incredible even if it was cloudy.
The next day we took an excursion on a boat across the caldera to the active volcano on a smaller nearby island and the adjoining natural hot springs. The boat rode up and down heavy swells whipped up by swirling winds and splashed huge amounts of spray in our general direction. Upon arriving at the volcano, we hiked up to the summit a thousand feet above the water, passing steam and sulfur vents along the way. The summit provided excellent views of the inhabited main island across the way. I also had the satisfaction that I was on top of a volcano, something that not too many people can say they've done. After the hike up the volcano we got back on the boat and went around the island to where the hot springs were located.
The trip to the hot springs was one of the more interesting things I've done so far since leaving the United States. They are located in a shallow cove behind the volcano and can only be accessed by jumping into the ocean from a boat 150 feet off shore and swimming the rest of the way in. So, we stripped down to our swimsuits and dove off the edge of the boat into the fairly cool water. The swim to the springs wasn't too bad, but was more difficult than it normally would have been due to the large waves. As we got into the cove, the water warmed up significantly and was also a lovely red hue (due to the high iron content of the volcanic rocks). We floated around for a while before having to swim back out to the boat and head back to the port. We were shivering as we finally got back on the boat but in the end the experience of the hot springs was well worth it.
Later in the afternoon we took another ferry to the nearby island of Ios where we would be staying until heading back to Athens to catch a plane back to Rome. Our time on Ios was a rather interesting experience mainly because had arrived after the main tourist season. Ios is an island of only 1000 people and once the tourists leave everything shuts down. There were probably only a few dozen non-residents on the island while we were there. In fact we were the last people staying at our hostel before it closed for the season. So, a vast majority of the restaurants, bars, and bakeries were closed.
Regardless of the emptiness and lack of places to eat, Ios was still a beautiful island. Our hostel was perched halfway up the side of a large hill and had an incredible view of the main town and the ocean beyond. Like Santorini, Ios had beautiful white washed buildings and plenty of blue domed churches strewn throughout.
This was the view we had from our hostel. 10 Euro a night? Sold.
In the short time we were on Ios, we explored the main town and tried to find any food available (there were only two restaurants open that we saw), and afterwards took a walk to the most gorgeous beach on the island a mile or so down the road. Unlike Santorini, the beach on Ios had beautiful white sand, free of rocks of any sort. I was told that during the summer the beach has upwards of 5000 people on it everyday. On that day, we were the only people on the beach even with crystal clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70s. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the hostel, pack things up, and catch the ferry back to Athens.
The beautiful yet deserted beach on Ios
The time spent on the islands in Greece was a relaxing and enjoyable way to cap off a week that saw us travel hundreds and hundreds of miles between three different countries by land, air, and sea. With the lack of tourist noise, we got to enjoy the scenery and simplicity of life of the islands. The weather could have been nicer, but who can complain with spending a couple of days on the islands in Greece? I certainly won't.
I awoke around 7:15am after a long, uncomfortable night of sleeping on a ferry and upon looking out the window was greeted by the towering cliffs of Santorini, the first of the islands we would be exploring. After docking at the port, we were picked up and taken to our hostel on the far side of the island. After getting settled at the hostel, we rented some ATVs from the bike shop right next door and spent the rest of the day exploring the island.
Santorini is a volcanic island like many of the islands in the Aegean, but what makes Santorini unique is that the island the volcano formed rings and ancient caldera that collapsed into the sea a long, long time ago. So, basically the entire western side of the island is perched on high cliffs overlooking the ancient sea-filled caldera while the eastern side slopes down towards long expanses of blank and red volcanic sand beaches. The island is most known for the whitewashed beauty of its two largest towns along the western edge of the island, Fira and Oia, and the beautiful sunsets one can see across the caldera.
The beautiful architecture of Santorini
Having ATVs was extremely convenient as it allowed us to explore the entire island in a relatively short amount of time. We went from end to end, spending time in the northern most town of Oia and the main town of Fira in the middle, while still having time to catch a sunset at the lighthouse on the southern tip of the island. The combination of scenery and architecture along the way was incredible. Oia and Fira are built into the sides of the cliffs and homes are literally stacked on top of one another. As you walk through the narrow streets you emerge on the edge of the cliffs and are presented with a sweeping view of the rest of the island and the sea hundreds of feet below.
The sunset on Santorini. Still incredible even if it was cloudy.
The next day we took an excursion on a boat across the caldera to the active volcano on a smaller nearby island and the adjoining natural hot springs. The boat rode up and down heavy swells whipped up by swirling winds and splashed huge amounts of spray in our general direction. Upon arriving at the volcano, we hiked up to the summit a thousand feet above the water, passing steam and sulfur vents along the way. The summit provided excellent views of the inhabited main island across the way. I also had the satisfaction that I was on top of a volcano, something that not too many people can say they've done. After the hike up the volcano we got back on the boat and went around the island to where the hot springs were located.
The trip to the hot springs was one of the more interesting things I've done so far since leaving the United States. They are located in a shallow cove behind the volcano and can only be accessed by jumping into the ocean from a boat 150 feet off shore and swimming the rest of the way in. So, we stripped down to our swimsuits and dove off the edge of the boat into the fairly cool water. The swim to the springs wasn't too bad, but was more difficult than it normally would have been due to the large waves. As we got into the cove, the water warmed up significantly and was also a lovely red hue (due to the high iron content of the volcanic rocks). We floated around for a while before having to swim back out to the boat and head back to the port. We were shivering as we finally got back on the boat but in the end the experience of the hot springs was well worth it.
Later in the afternoon we took another ferry to the nearby island of Ios where we would be staying until heading back to Athens to catch a plane back to Rome. Our time on Ios was a rather interesting experience mainly because had arrived after the main tourist season. Ios is an island of only 1000 people and once the tourists leave everything shuts down. There were probably only a few dozen non-residents on the island while we were there. In fact we were the last people staying at our hostel before it closed for the season. So, a vast majority of the restaurants, bars, and bakeries were closed.
Regardless of the emptiness and lack of places to eat, Ios was still a beautiful island. Our hostel was perched halfway up the side of a large hill and had an incredible view of the main town and the ocean beyond. Like Santorini, Ios had beautiful white washed buildings and plenty of blue domed churches strewn throughout.
This was the view we had from our hostel. 10 Euro a night? Sold.
In the short time we were on Ios, we explored the main town and tried to find any food available (there were only two restaurants open that we saw), and afterwards took a walk to the most gorgeous beach on the island a mile or so down the road. Unlike Santorini, the beach on Ios had beautiful white sand, free of rocks of any sort. I was told that during the summer the beach has upwards of 5000 people on it everyday. On that day, we were the only people on the beach even with crystal clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70s. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the hostel, pack things up, and catch the ferry back to Athens.
The beautiful yet deserted beach on Ios
The time spent on the islands in Greece was a relaxing and enjoyable way to cap off a week that saw us travel hundreds and hundreds of miles between three different countries by land, air, and sea. With the lack of tourist noise, we got to enjoy the scenery and simplicity of life of the islands. The weather could have been nicer, but who can complain with spending a couple of days on the islands in Greece? I certainly won't.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Athens: Architectural History All Over Again
Besides Rome, Athens, Greece can be described as one of the most important cities to study in terms of classical architecture that has had great influence over the course of history. For a city with well over 3000 years of history, one can learn a lot, especially about architecture. In the two days we spent in Athens, we got a firsthand look at a lot of the buildings we had studied over the last two years in various architectural history courses along with some other interesting occurrences.
We arrived in Athens from Istanbul around noon and quickly got on an express bus to take us downtown to our hostel, just a few blocks away from the Acropolis and the famous Parthenon. The bus ride took us though the massive urban area that is Athens, but never got us to our final destination. The bus took a turn a dozen or so blocks short of the last stop and the driver told everyone to get out. The reason being that the main street we were on was barricaded by two police buses and a line of police dressed in riot gear. Apparently, a large group of Greek workers on strike were having a rally down the street and the police were there to make sure it didn't get out of hand and protect various government buildings. It was a bit hectic and nerve raking walking down the street as the riot police lined up in front of their roadblock and as the strikers chants grew ever louder in the distance and luckily we decide to take a detour in another direction.
Nothing bad ended up happening that day, and as we moved past the commotion of the road block we eventually found our way to the hostel and then set out to explore what we could for the rest of the afternoon. We ended up checking out the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first modern Olympics were held and also the site of where the ancient Olympics were held. We took a quick tour of the stadium as the sun began to sink behind the hills, eventually climbing to the upper tier of the stadium. It was there were we got our first breathtaking view of the Acropolis perched high above the city in the fading light. It was our first real confirmation that we were in Athens, a city of great architectural and historical value.
We spent the next day exploring the major architectural sights on and around the Acropolis. Our first stop was the recently built Acropolis Museum where we spent a good deal of time exploring and discussing the various pieces of frieze, sculpture, and artifacts preserved within the museum. The most interesting area of the museum was the uppermost floor which had a good amount of the preserved sculpture of the pediment and the entablature of the Parthenon. It was also interesting to learn how various events over the years, such as an explosion of gunpowder stored within the structure destroyed much of it during the 17th century and the carrying awaying of many sculptures and other pieces by Lord Elgin of Britian, made the Parthenon look like it does today. They don't like Lord Elgin very much in Greece.
After spending a couple of hours in the museum it was time to go explore the Acropolis itself. Through wave after wave of tourists we trekked our way up the slopes to the shelf of the Acropolis where all the great temples stand. This was where the knowledge we've acquired through architectural history classes kicked in. After entering the main gate to the Acropolis, the Propylaea, flanked by the tiny Temple of Athena Nike, we were offered an excellent view of one of the world's most famous structures, the Parthenon.
The Parthenon is a beautiful structure and is a sight worth visiting for anyone, but as an architecture major one has a special appreciation of it not only for its beauty but also for the subtleties in the methods of design. Instead of talking about the beauty of the marble and the massive scale of the Parthenon we talked about the curvature of the stylobate, ratios of height to width, and the fluting of the columns. Being able to analyze a building in its architectural elements really helps one see beyond what a building simply looks like and begin to explore the underlying layers of construction and tectonics that make a building both stand up and look the way it does.
Just hanging out by the Parthenon
We discussed the Parthenon as we walked around the entire structure and then checked out some of the other buildings on the Acropolis including the famous Erechtheon and its Caryatid Porch. The Caryatid Porch was another thing we had learned so much about in history classes. The porch contains a group of 6 columns shaped like female forms that seem to be holding up the entablature above them. As I stood there before the structure I couldn't help but smile and think that only a year or two ago I was back on campus at Notre Dame learning about what lay before me. It's really interesting when things come full circle like that.
After visiting the Acropolis, we hiked down the hill and saw a few more buildings before heading back to our hostel to rest up before dinner. It started raining soon after this and didn't let up for the rest of the day and most of the night. Luckily, we got everything we wanted to see in before it rained.
Athens was a great city to visit and it was incredible to see many of the buildings we had learned about back on campus. Like other places I'm sure I could have spent many more days exploring other parts of Athens and the different thing it had to offer, but we had a night ferry to catch and do a little bit of island hopping.
In closing, I'll let you know my favorite thing about Athens....
The food.
We arrived in Athens from Istanbul around noon and quickly got on an express bus to take us downtown to our hostel, just a few blocks away from the Acropolis and the famous Parthenon. The bus ride took us though the massive urban area that is Athens, but never got us to our final destination. The bus took a turn a dozen or so blocks short of the last stop and the driver told everyone to get out. The reason being that the main street we were on was barricaded by two police buses and a line of police dressed in riot gear. Apparently, a large group of Greek workers on strike were having a rally down the street and the police were there to make sure it didn't get out of hand and protect various government buildings. It was a bit hectic and nerve raking walking down the street as the riot police lined up in front of their roadblock and as the strikers chants grew ever louder in the distance and luckily we decide to take a detour in another direction.
Nothing bad ended up happening that day, and as we moved past the commotion of the road block we eventually found our way to the hostel and then set out to explore what we could for the rest of the afternoon. We ended up checking out the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first modern Olympics were held and also the site of where the ancient Olympics were held. We took a quick tour of the stadium as the sun began to sink behind the hills, eventually climbing to the upper tier of the stadium. It was there were we got our first breathtaking view of the Acropolis perched high above the city in the fading light. It was our first real confirmation that we were in Athens, a city of great architectural and historical value.
We spent the next day exploring the major architectural sights on and around the Acropolis. Our first stop was the recently built Acropolis Museum where we spent a good deal of time exploring and discussing the various pieces of frieze, sculpture, and artifacts preserved within the museum. The most interesting area of the museum was the uppermost floor which had a good amount of the preserved sculpture of the pediment and the entablature of the Parthenon. It was also interesting to learn how various events over the years, such as an explosion of gunpowder stored within the structure destroyed much of it during the 17th century and the carrying awaying of many sculptures and other pieces by Lord Elgin of Britian, made the Parthenon look like it does today. They don't like Lord Elgin very much in Greece.
After spending a couple of hours in the museum it was time to go explore the Acropolis itself. Through wave after wave of tourists we trekked our way up the slopes to the shelf of the Acropolis where all the great temples stand. This was where the knowledge we've acquired through architectural history classes kicked in. After entering the main gate to the Acropolis, the Propylaea, flanked by the tiny Temple of Athena Nike, we were offered an excellent view of one of the world's most famous structures, the Parthenon.
The Parthenon is a beautiful structure and is a sight worth visiting for anyone, but as an architecture major one has a special appreciation of it not only for its beauty but also for the subtleties in the methods of design. Instead of talking about the beauty of the marble and the massive scale of the Parthenon we talked about the curvature of the stylobate, ratios of height to width, and the fluting of the columns. Being able to analyze a building in its architectural elements really helps one see beyond what a building simply looks like and begin to explore the underlying layers of construction and tectonics that make a building both stand up and look the way it does.
Just hanging out by the Parthenon
After visiting the Acropolis, we hiked down the hill and saw a few more buildings before heading back to our hostel to rest up before dinner. It started raining soon after this and didn't let up for the rest of the day and most of the night. Luckily, we got everything we wanted to see in before it rained.
Athens was a great city to visit and it was incredible to see many of the buildings we had learned about back on campus. Like other places I'm sure I could have spent many more days exploring other parts of Athens and the different thing it had to offer, but we had a night ferry to catch and do a little bit of island hopping.
In closing, I'll let you know my favorite thing about Athens....
The food.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Istanbul - City on the Bosphorus
We arrived back in Rome from our field trip at 8pm two Saturdays ago and by 8am the next morning I found myself at the airport in Rome ready to begin the first leg of fall break by traveling to Istanbul, Turkey. A very quick turn-around for sure.
After a rather uneventful flight we touched down at Sabiha Gökçen Internation Airport on the Asia side of Istanbul marking my first time is Asia. We had to quickly buy visitors visas at the airport but once we had that taken car of, we hurried outside to catch a coach bus that would take us from the airport to the city center on the European side. I ended up being in Asia for only about an hour.
The bus ride into Istanbul was my first exposure to a non-Western culture, specifically the world of Islam. As we passed rows and rows of apartment buildings, standing among them where dozens and dozens of minarets from the multiple mosques. They were everywhere, and they all looked quite beautiful, as their ornate and classical facades offset the bland, concrete apartment buildings that surrounded them. It was also interesting to see signs and advertisements written in Turkish. I didn't have much time to study up on Turkish before leaving Rome so it was like trying to interpret hieroglyphics. We drove over the Bosphorous, the strait that separates the Asian and Europeans halves of Istanbul, and took a winding route to our final stop for the bus in Taksim Square.
After a quick walk and tram ride, we arrived at Istanbul's in between the two most famous structures and mosques, the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. We arrived too late in the day to go inside either, but they were still amazing to behold from outside. There were domes wherever you looked and both were surrounded by towering minarets. Simply marvelous structures.
A view of the Hagia Sophia
We used the 36 hours exploring Istanbul and the many different sights it had to offer. We spent a great deal of time at the Topkapi Palace, home to a vast majority of the sultan's that reigned over the Ottoman Empire. The architecture was amazing and all of the different buildings were full of artifacts, including an 87 karat diamond ring worn by one of the sultans.
We also went to the famous Grand Bazaar and the nearby Spice Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar was absolutely gigantic, and it was extremely easy to get lost in as we found out a couple of times. The bazaar had all sort of goods ranging from rugs, to jackets, to shoes, and everything in between. The interesting thing about the bazaar is that most places don't have prices on anything. Prices are determined by bartering. It was pretty interesting seeing people arguing over jackets and t-shirts. The Spice Bazaar is pretty self explanatory in the fact that the vendors there sell all sorts of spices and herbs, but one can also find teas, desserts, and all sort of other goods. I ended up getting a shirt and a flag at pretty decent prices at the bazaars.
A view down the main avenue in the Grand Bazaar
The most interesting and beautiful place we visited was the Blue Mosque. I mentioned the beauty of the exterior earlier, but if the exterior can be described as beautiful then the interior can only be described as breathtaking. The interior of the mosque was extremely open and airy with its lofty domes and high clerestory windows that shed light throughout the inside of the building. Ornate tile arabesques covered every surface. There wasn't anything spectacular or overly unique about the design or layout of the mosque, but its simple beauty and geometric patterns leaves the viewer in awe. We spent a good half an hour just staring and marveling at the beauty and peace expressed by the mosque's impressive architecture and decoration.
I absolutely loved Istanbul. It was a gorgeous city, and I'd love to go back some time. It was great to experience another culture in a part of the world so different from where I'm from. So many new experiences and differences that I will appreciate for years to come.
After a rather uneventful flight we touched down at Sabiha Gökçen Internation Airport on the Asia side of Istanbul marking my first time is Asia. We had to quickly buy visitors visas at the airport but once we had that taken car of, we hurried outside to catch a coach bus that would take us from the airport to the city center on the European side. I ended up being in Asia for only about an hour.
The bus ride into Istanbul was my first exposure to a non-Western culture, specifically the world of Islam. As we passed rows and rows of apartment buildings, standing among them where dozens and dozens of minarets from the multiple mosques. They were everywhere, and they all looked quite beautiful, as their ornate and classical facades offset the bland, concrete apartment buildings that surrounded them. It was also interesting to see signs and advertisements written in Turkish. I didn't have much time to study up on Turkish before leaving Rome so it was like trying to interpret hieroglyphics. We drove over the Bosphorous, the strait that separates the Asian and Europeans halves of Istanbul, and took a winding route to our final stop for the bus in Taksim Square.
After a quick walk and tram ride, we arrived at Istanbul's in between the two most famous structures and mosques, the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. We arrived too late in the day to go inside either, but they were still amazing to behold from outside. There were domes wherever you looked and both were surrounded by towering minarets. Simply marvelous structures.
A view of the Hagia Sophia
We also went to the famous Grand Bazaar and the nearby Spice Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar was absolutely gigantic, and it was extremely easy to get lost in as we found out a couple of times. The bazaar had all sort of goods ranging from rugs, to jackets, to shoes, and everything in between. The interesting thing about the bazaar is that most places don't have prices on anything. Prices are determined by bartering. It was pretty interesting seeing people arguing over jackets and t-shirts. The Spice Bazaar is pretty self explanatory in the fact that the vendors there sell all sorts of spices and herbs, but one can also find teas, desserts, and all sort of other goods. I ended up getting a shirt and a flag at pretty decent prices at the bazaars.
A view down the main avenue in the Grand Bazaar
The upper reaches of the Blue Mosque
Even with the architectural beauty, one of my favorite things about Istanbul was the food and the amount of food one can get on a budget. We ate like sultans for the two days we were there. We ate kebab and other meat dishes for lunch and dinner and snacked on food from street vendors in between meals. Sesame seed bagels, delicious honey coated pastries, grilled corn, chicken paste wraps. All incredible and all extremely cheap. I also ate something I never thought I would eat. Liver. I got a sandwich at stand near the Grand Bazaar that had pork (actually liver), french fries, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes. It was absolutely delicious and I didn't find out it was liver until I'd already eaten two sandwiches. Not knowing Turkish helped me out with that one.
I absolutely loved Istanbul. It was a gorgeous city, and I'd love to go back some time. It was great to experience another culture in a part of the world so different from where I'm from. So many new experiences and differences that I will appreciate for years to come.
Fall Field Trip to Venice and the Veneto
Our trip to Venice and the Veneto (the areas surrounding Venice) was full of interesting experiences and a taste of the diversity in architectural styles and history that exist in Italy outside of Rome. Different geographical features and different historical context have, over the centuries, created a city (Venice) and a countryside (the Veneto) far more out of the ordinary than any place I'd been so far in my travels. It is this difference and diversity that made our fall field trip up north so interesting and enjoyable.
We started our trip with a long four hour train ride from Rome to Venice. Upon arrival in Venice, I was surprised to find that immediately upon exiting the train station you become emersed in the controlled confusion of the winding canals and busy waterways of the city. The famous Grand Canal is right outside the entrance of the train station, and before I knew it we walked down the water's edge to catch a water taxi that would take us towards our hotel.
A trip down the Grand Canal is an experience within itself. Boats, gondolas, and water taxis of every size and shape move up and down the canal transporting goods and people along its entire length. Beautiful medieval and Renaissance palaces and homes line the shores of the canal. For most of the buildings the front door leads directly up to the canal where you can hop into a waiting boat and go off to wherever the day's business required.
We explored the narrows streets, alleyways, and the numerous canals of the city for three days, taking in all of the beautiful architecture that has been erected in Venice over the years. A major focal point was Piazza San Marco, home the the famous Basilica of San Marco and the well-known Doge's Palace. I got the opportunity to visit both the basilica and the palace. Both structures were spectacular; however, I was surprised to find San Marco much smaller than I thought it would be. It was a large building but it was relatively small compared to many of the towering facades and naves one can find in many of the churches in Rome. Beyond Piazza San Marco, we explored many churches around the city, most either designed or inspired by the architect Andrea Palladio, who I'll talk about a little more later.
On another note, we were lucky enough to experience the aqua alta, or high water, while in Venice. It rained pretty hard one of the nights we were there and sure enough the rains flooded the low lying areas of the city. Since this happens on a fairly regular basis, especially during the rainy months in the fall and winter, the city sets up a series of raised walkways to allow people to walk the flooded piazzas and street. It was pretty interesting to see hundreds of people in the gigantic piazza confined to a series of walkways only a couple of meters wide. This was also the part of the trip where I was really glad I was wearing waterproof shoes.
The aqua alta in Piazza San Marco
We could have easily explored Venice for another week, but we still had a lot of architecture to see in the cities and towns in the countryside surrounding Venice. The first stop on our tour of the cities outside Venice was Vicenza, one of the most charming cities I've ever visited and also home to the previously mentioned Andrea Palladio.
Palladio is a very well known architect from the 16th century and is loved by anyone interested in classical architecture. So, basically everyone in the Notre Dame program, including myself, has a man-crush on him. Palladio got his start designing tons on beautiful buildings in Vicenza and then moved on to design many famous churches and other buildings in Venice. He did some incredible work in Vicenza and turned a town about the size of South Bend into one of the most architecturally beautiful cities in all of Italy.
The view of Vicenza from above the city
Beyond his work within Vicenza proper, he is also famously known for the many villas he designed in the countryside surrounding the city. We spent one morning exploring some of these villas, including an extremely famous one, Villa Rotonda. Villa Rotonda holds a special place in the hearts of Notre Dame architecture students, not just for its beauty but also for simple fact we all spent the second half of the Spring Semester freshman year drafting and watercoloring plans, elevations, and perspectives of the building. So, getting the opportunity to see the villa up close and in person was a very special experience. We could have spent the whole day there and been happy but the villa is only open from 10am until noon on Wednesdays so we had a very limited time to visit before we were ushered out to continue with our journey.
Villa Rotonda. We visited on a gorgeous day.
The next few days found us exploring some other famous cities in the surrounding area, specifically Ferrara, Ravenna, and Bologna. One of the more interesting things discovered in Ferrara actually dealt with the cuisine. One of the more famous local dishes is pumpkin filled pasta with meat sauce. It doesn't sound all that appetizing, but it was some of most delicious food I've had in quite some time. Ravenna is known for its Byzantine architecture and mosaics. One of the most beautiful churches seen on our trip was in Ravenna, San Vitale, and it had some of the most beautiful artwork you will over see. Lastly, we spent some time in Bologna. The buildings here were on a much larger scale than elsewhere and all of the sidewalks were contained underneath loggias on the lower part of the buildings. One can walk freely on the sidewalks if it's and never get wet unless he or she must cross the street.
After Bologna, we were all pretty tired and were happy to get on the bus for a four our ride back to Rome. It was a great trip and we got the opportunity to see a lot of famous and beautiful architecture in a relatively short time. The weather wasn't too bad for the most part, the food was good, and the experiences were countless. A great week to say the least.
We started our trip with a long four hour train ride from Rome to Venice. Upon arrival in Venice, I was surprised to find that immediately upon exiting the train station you become emersed in the controlled confusion of the winding canals and busy waterways of the city. The famous Grand Canal is right outside the entrance of the train station, and before I knew it we walked down the water's edge to catch a water taxi that would take us towards our hotel.
A trip down the Grand Canal is an experience within itself. Boats, gondolas, and water taxis of every size and shape move up and down the canal transporting goods and people along its entire length. Beautiful medieval and Renaissance palaces and homes line the shores of the canal. For most of the buildings the front door leads directly up to the canal where you can hop into a waiting boat and go off to wherever the day's business required.
A view of Palazzo Balbi on the Grand Canal as we left for the train station
We explored the narrows streets, alleyways, and the numerous canals of the city for three days, taking in all of the beautiful architecture that has been erected in Venice over the years. A major focal point was Piazza San Marco, home the the famous Basilica of San Marco and the well-known Doge's Palace. I got the opportunity to visit both the basilica and the palace. Both structures were spectacular; however, I was surprised to find San Marco much smaller than I thought it would be. It was a large building but it was relatively small compared to many of the towering facades and naves one can find in many of the churches in Rome. Beyond Piazza San Marco, we explored many churches around the city, most either designed or inspired by the architect Andrea Palladio, who I'll talk about a little more later.
On another note, we were lucky enough to experience the aqua alta, or high water, while in Venice. It rained pretty hard one of the nights we were there and sure enough the rains flooded the low lying areas of the city. Since this happens on a fairly regular basis, especially during the rainy months in the fall and winter, the city sets up a series of raised walkways to allow people to walk the flooded piazzas and street. It was pretty interesting to see hundreds of people in the gigantic piazza confined to a series of walkways only a couple of meters wide. This was also the part of the trip where I was really glad I was wearing waterproof shoes.
The aqua alta in Piazza San Marco
We could have easily explored Venice for another week, but we still had a lot of architecture to see in the cities and towns in the countryside surrounding Venice. The first stop on our tour of the cities outside Venice was Vicenza, one of the most charming cities I've ever visited and also home to the previously mentioned Andrea Palladio.
Palladio is a very well known architect from the 16th century and is loved by anyone interested in classical architecture. So, basically everyone in the Notre Dame program, including myself, has a man-crush on him. Palladio got his start designing tons on beautiful buildings in Vicenza and then moved on to design many famous churches and other buildings in Venice. He did some incredible work in Vicenza and turned a town about the size of South Bend into one of the most architecturally beautiful cities in all of Italy.
The view of Vicenza from above the city
Villa Rotonda. We visited on a gorgeous day.
The next few days found us exploring some other famous cities in the surrounding area, specifically Ferrara, Ravenna, and Bologna. One of the more interesting things discovered in Ferrara actually dealt with the cuisine. One of the more famous local dishes is pumpkin filled pasta with meat sauce. It doesn't sound all that appetizing, but it was some of most delicious food I've had in quite some time. Ravenna is known for its Byzantine architecture and mosaics. One of the most beautiful churches seen on our trip was in Ravenna, San Vitale, and it had some of the most beautiful artwork you will over see. Lastly, we spent some time in Bologna. The buildings here were on a much larger scale than elsewhere and all of the sidewalks were contained underneath loggias on the lower part of the buildings. One can walk freely on the sidewalks if it's and never get wet unless he or she must cross the street.
After Bologna, we were all pretty tired and were happy to get on the bus for a four our ride back to Rome. It was a great trip and we got the opportunity to see a lot of famous and beautiful architecture in a relatively short time. The weather wasn't too bad for the most part, the food was good, and the experiences were countless. A great week to say the least.
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