Ich bin Berliner

Click here to see pictures (including a lot from the East Side Gallery) from my visit in Berlin.

Yesterday I set out to explore the city of Berlin on foot.  I walked about 15 minutes from the hostel to Alexander Platz in Mitte, the center of the city.  I first walked to the Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism, and then across the street to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.  I really liked what the plaque at the Memorial to Homosexuals said, so I took a picture (it's in the album linked above).  The memorial to the murdered Jews is really interesting.  From a distance it looks like a city block full of differently sized headstones and tombs.  However, when you enter and walk toward the center, the stones become taller and taller, so that from the center you feel like you are walled in by graves on all sides.  It is a very visible monument in the heart of the city.  Underground they have an information center that tells the stories of Jews who were murdered during the holocaust and their families.  What I found particularly interesting in the information center was their emphasis on personal stories.  They even have a database to look up any Jew in the Holocaust because one of their missions is that no one’s name or life story will be forgotten.  It was a really moving exhibit.

After visiting the memorial, I continued walking and saw the Neue Wache, a monument to all those lost in war.  The remains of an unidentified concentration camp victim are buried there along with the remains of an unidentified soldier.  The statue is of a woman cradling her dead son, and there is a hole in the ceiling above the statue so that she is exposed to the elements of the weather at all times.  It’s another really moving memorial.

I continued walking through Mitte and visited the Berlin Dome.  It is the largest Protestant Church in Europe.  It is very ornately decorated throughout, but the best part of the tour was the climb to the dome.  The climb actually takes you outside to the roof of the church, and from there you can see an incredible view of the city. 

I took a break after climbing the dome and ate lunch at a little café nearby.  I had a banana and nutella crepe and a “Lift” apple soda.  Crepes and apple soda might just be my favorite European foods.  J

After lunch it was time for my much anticipated visit to the DDR Museum.  DDR stands for Deutsche Demokratische Republik, which was the official name of East Germany during the Cold War.  The museum was fascinating!  It was really well designed to have lots of interactive, hands-on exhibits including games and audiovisual elements.  They even had a Trabi, which were the cars issued in the DDR, that you could climb inside and pretend to drive.  The “social education” exhibit was really interesting (and scary).  Apparently one of the facets of the education system was a “potty bench” where an entire class had to sit on restroom breaks, and remain until the last person had finished.  They also had a typical apartment set up and decorated which was great.  I learned about the roots of the “punk” movement, nude beaches in the DDR, the “kiss of brotherly love,” the block party voting system, mail order catalogues in the DDR, travel restrictions, and a host of other really interesting topics.  I spent a few hours in there.  It was definitely my favorite museum so far on this trip, just rivaled by the Hospital in the Rock.

When I left the DDR Museum it was pouring rain, but never fear, I had my trusty rain jacket and plenty of daylight left.  I took the metro up to the Berlin Wall Documentation Center.  It was not quite what I expected – mainly just a section of the wall that is still standing along with some outdoor exhibits to read.  However, what was really cool about the center was the Church of Reconciliation.  The original Church of Reconciliation was surrounded by the Berlin Wall when it was built in 1961.  The outer wall went just in front of the church, and the inner wall went just behind it, making it accessible only to the border guards in this “death zone” of the fall.  The congregation was forced to hold services elsewhere.  In 1985, the DDR government demolished the church.

After the wall fell in 1989, the land was eventually returned to the congregation.  In 1999, they began constructing a new Chapel of Reconciliation.  It is made from rammed earth, and the earth that they use actually contains pieces of glass and other materials that made up the original church.  It is now a small chapel that continues the mission of reconciliation in the community and world around it.  Beside the chapel is a Statue of Reconciliation sculpted by Josefina de Vasconcellos.  The same statue was also placed in Coventry Cathedral in London, Peace Park in Hiroshima, and Stormont Castle in Belfast – to represent reconciliation in places that were badly damaged by World War II.

This morning I again left the hostel with a plan.  After stopping by the train station to buy my ticket for tomorrow’s journey to Prague, I took the streetcar down to the East Side Gallery.  Wow!  It is amazing.  I absolutely loved the 1.2 km of wall that is now the world’s largest outdoor art gallery.  Artists from 29 different countries originally created the East Side gallery after the fall of the wall in 1990 as a collaborative effort.  Today some of the work as faded and been duplicated, some has graffiti additions, but most is still there – telling a wonderful story of freedom, celebration, peace, and the triumph of the human spirit.  The atmosphere surrounding the gallery is also great.  There are, of course, tons of tourists, and lots o hipsters and artists and musicians, but for the most part everyone was very kind and polite, being sure to stay out of my way when I snapped pictures and enjoying the awesome artwork together.  The back side of the wall is entirely covered with street art and graffiti, as is every open surface within a few blocks. 

After renewing my soul at the East Side Gallery I journeyed to the Jewish Museum.  I found its exhibits really interesting, particularly one about the lives of Jewish women during the Middle Ages.  The museum covers the history of German Jews all the way from around 400 to the present. It is a ton of information , but it is very well done and covers important topics.  The museum traces roots of discrimination against German Jews all the way to the Middle Ages.  It also features an exhibit that explores the similarities and differences between Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.  The last exhibit tells stories of Jews who grew up in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria after World War II.

My last stop in Berlin was the Topography of Terror exhibit.  This exhibit stands on what were once the offices of Hiter’s Gestapo and later the DDR secret police.  It has an in-depth outdoor exhibit about the Nazi party’s tactics to gain and hold control, and to discriminate aainst homosexuals, Gypsies, handicapped people, and Jews.  Inside there is even more information.  It was good information, but there was a thunderstorm, and I was very tired, so about halfway through I headed on back to the hostel.

Berlin is not a pretty city.  It’s loud.  It’s filled with concrete; it’s gritty and dirty.  There are broken beer and liquor bottles all over the sidewalks.  When I accidentally step in the bike lane on the sidewalk, I get screamed at, cursed at, and narrowly escape bodily harm.    Bikers do not just steer around me like the friendly folks in Budapest.  However, the resilience of the human spirit here is incredible.  Berlin is composed of counter-culture, modern art, punk music, and a talent for constantly reinventing itself.  Rick Steves described Berlin as “Europe’s biggest construction zone,” and I’d have to agree with him, both literally and figuratively.  I would love to come back and spend a few days just visiting the art museums here.  Of course, by then it may be a completely different city.  It’s been an incredible visit, and I’m so glad I got to see the Berlin of 2012. 

Unexpected Delight

Day 3: Budapest

I woke up around 10:30 a.m., shocked that we had slept so late!  We were both feeling pretty tired from the long day before, but nonetheless we headed to Margaret Island.  Margaret Island is an island in the Danube between the Buda and Pest sections of the city.  No cars are allowed on the island, and it is basically a giant park filled with sports fields, a natural area including a waterfall, and walking paths.  We took our time walking around the island and enjoying the beauty around us.

Then we decided to head to the Parliament building.  We took the metro to the building, but sadly they had sold out of tickets for tours that day.  Instead, we headed over to Freedom Square.  Freedom Square features a monument celebrating the Soviet victory over the Nazis.  It is controversial in Budapest today, because many Hungarians remember the Soviet occupation with a lot of bitterness.  The country has only been independent since 1989.

There was a nice café at the square where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch.  I got a Hungarian sampler plate that included various salamis, a hot pepper, onions, cucumbers, bread, and a spread made from feta cheese and Hungarian spices. 

After lunch we decided to check out some other famous baths across the city, so we took the metro over to check them out.  These baths were incredible!  They had at least 7 different pools, all different temperatures.  A really beautiful old building, complete with sculptures of various sea monsters, surrounded the outdoor pools.  Each pool had fountains, jets, and bubblers.  One included a lazy river, and another had a floating chessboard.

We left the baths, changed and showered at the hotel, and dressed up for a nice dinner.  Our plan was to check out the Citadel in Buda.  It is on a hill above the city, and we hoped we could find a place to eat overlooking the sunset on Pest and the Danube.  When we got to the Citadel, we first checked out the Church in the Cave.  It is literally a Catholic church carved out of a cave in the side of a mountain.  It was closed, but a friendly priest let us in anyway to look around.  Wow!  It was so amazing and peaceful.  We hadn’t expected to see it, and we were so glad we got to have a look.  It was different than the Hospital in the Rock, because in the hospital it didn't look like a cave.  All the walls were covered with concrete or brick.  In the church they had left the walls natural, so it seemed simple, and it was very beautiful.

After stopping by the church we began to hike to the top of the hill, where there is a large cross and looked to be a beautiful view.  The hike was a lot longer than we expected.  We were all dressed up for dinner, and poor Lisa was wearing heels.  We decided, though, that the view would be great, so we kept climbing.  After a little while, we realized that we seemed to have missed the cross and were approaching the Liberty statue on the other side of Buda.  Somehow the paths are connected, and there weren’t signs to direct us.  It was a super long climb, but the view at the top was spectacular.  The liberty statue is so giant, and in the darkness she glowed as a symbol of freedom to everyone in the city below.  The view of the city was also gorgeous, with everything lit up like the night before, and the moon was just as beautiful.  We spent some time gazing and the Liberty Statue and the city below.

Then we walked around the opposite way from where we came.  We found the best restaurant!  We were able to sit outside, just overlooking the glowing city below.  It was an incredible view.  I had chicken paprika, another traditional Hungarin meal, and a Hungarian Riesling.  Delicious food, a marvelous view, and wonderful conversation made for a magical evening.  The view was literally breathtaking.  The fact that we ended up there completely by accident made it even better.

We took a taxi back to the hotel, and again fell into bed, ready to sleep until our flight the next morning to Ellmendingen, Germany.

Beautiful Buda

Day 2: Budapest

I met Lisa at the airport in Budapest.  Her flight arrived about an hour after mine, so I had time to collect my luggage and go through customs.  While waiting, I struck up a conversation with a girl who seemed about my age and knew English.  She works for an exchange program with a nearby university, and was waiting for a student to arrive.  It quickly became apparent that nearly all the Hungarians in Budapest spoke really great English.

Lisa arrived and we took a cab to our hotel.  We stayed on Vaci Utca, which was a great location.  It’s a pedestrian shopping street in the heart of the city.  We went to an Italian restaurant beside our hotel for a late dinner of pizza and beer, and had a great time catching up.  We’ve never really had time to hang out just the two of us, and it was such a gift to spend a few days together in such an amazing city.

Our first day in Budapest was very busy.  We probably fit in 3 days worth of activities.  We began with a hop-on hop-off bus tour after the continental breakfast at the hotel.  Unfortunately we got a little lost looking for the bus to begin the tour, and this proved to be a pattern throughout the trip.  Eventually we found the bus and began our tour.

The first stop where we got off was at the House of Terror.  The House of Terror is a museum comparing the Nazi occupation of Budapest to the Soviet occupation.  I had read that it was very good and was hoping to see it.  Unfortunately, the museum was closed.  We decided to walk down to the next stop on the tour, Hero’s Square.  On the way we stopped by a coffee bar and got lemonade.  It was delicious!  The barista made it from carbonated water, fresh lemons, fresh oranges, simple syrup, and ice. 

At Hero’s Square we enjoyed the monument and walked around the perimeter to look at the beautiful buildings.  There are some famous thermal baths there with a gorgeous view.  Then we caught the bus and continued on the route.

The next stop was in the castle district.  We went to see the famous church of St. Matthew.  It’s really awesome because it has a beautiful roof made of all kinds of different tiles.  The inside was neat too, with some exhibits about the history of the church.  A lot of it was covered because they are doing restoration work on the building.  Beside the church was the Fisherman’s Bastion.  It is basically a series of bridges and overlooks of the beautiful city below.  We enjoyed that view, then continued on to the Hospital in the Rock.

The Hospital in the Rock was awesome!  It is hidden in a cave near the castle district.  During World War II, the Hungarians built a hospital underground into the cave.  It was meant for civilians, but eventually the German army took it over and soldiers were treated there as well.  It was equipped with high-tech (for the time) medical equipment and machinery.  During the Cold War, they expanded onto the hospital to create a secret medical facility complete with a nuclear bunker.  In 2007, they turned it into a museum.  It is one of the most interesting things I have ever seen.  They have the rooms set up as they were, complete with was figures to represent doctors and patients.  They even have authentic medical equipment such as x-rays, sterilizing machines, and surgical tools from the 40s through the 60s.  There are 2 pressure chambers designed to force all the air out of the hospital in case of a nuclear or biochemical attack, several hidden escape ways, and an air ventilation system.  The pipes for the air conditioning and fuel tanks were disguised above ground as sprinklers and rain pipes. 

The Cold War portion of the exhibit included “nuclear attack survival kits” complete with an after solution and a shot that slowed the spread of nuclear radiation in the nervous system.  Unfortunately, the kits didn’t contain the anecdote to the shot.  We also got to see tons of Hungarian issued gas masks and radioactive protective suits, the nuclear bunker, and air raid sirens.  It was such a cool opportunity!

We left the Hospital in the Rock and went to the Gellert baths.  These are famous baths from the Hungarian thermal springs in Budapest.  The springs were actually first found and used by Celtic tribes, then the Romans, then Attila the Hun, and it has continued even into the present.  We had a great time at the baths.  It was unusually hot (90s to 100s) and it felt great to go swimming and relax.  We stayed for a few hours enjoying the cooler water.

We left the baths and went to a café for a beer.  After the beer we headed to the Danube for a night cruise.  The cruise was amazing!  (And, it was included with our hop-on hop-off ticket!)  We took the 9 p.m. cruise.  Everything in Budapest is lit up at night, and it is really a beautiful city with the reflections off the water.  The moon was also perfect – orange and hanging low.  The cruise included a really good informational audio recording that pointed out the different brightly lit sites and explained their history.

The cruise lasted one hour.  We headed back to the hotel, showered, and then went to dinner (yes at this point it was 11 p.m.)  Of course, a lot of restaurants were no longer serving food, but we found a nice one on the square near our hotel and I ordered goulash soup, the typical Hungarian meal.  Around 1 a.m. we fell into bed, exhausted, but happy.

My Goodness My Guinness

If you would like to see pictures from this trip or Budapest, please click on this link. 

Day 1: Dublin

I landed in Dublin around 7 a.m. their time (2 p.m. EST).  I actually slept more on the plane than I expected, and felt fairly refreshed.  Upon landing, I tried to check-in to my flight with Aer Lingus but was told I would have to wait until 1 p.m. (the plane left at 3:30 p.m.).  So . . . I decided to explore the city.   It took some doing because I didn’t want to lug my whole bag with me all day, but I found a place near the airport where I could leave my luggage, and then I set off to find a taxi.

The taxi I found was already reserved.  He said he was waiting for some diplomats returning from the U.S.  However, he was very excited I was spending a few hours in Dublin and set about to draw me out a little itinerary of everywhere he recommended I visit.  He also pointed to me to the best bus to get downtown, explaining it was cheaper than a taxi, and wished me luck.

I took the bus downtown and walked a bit in Dublin to see the sights.  The city was pretty empty.  After all, it was 9:30 on a Sunday morning.  I decided that my best bet to use the few hours I had was to head to the Guinness Storehouse, which I knew was open, and make a morning of it.

It took about an hour to walk to the Storehouse, which was fine since I had been cooped up on a plane for 6 hours previously.  I used my little map from the cab driver and found it pretty easily.  Inside there was a great tour all about the history of the Guinness Company and the process of making their beer.  Apparently, Arthur Guinness (founder of the company) signed a lease for the location of the brewery for 9000 years.  They have it framed at the entryway to the exhibits.  They really emphasized the high quality of the water in the mountains nearby Dublin as an important factor in Guinness beer.

I didn’t realize that the Guinness Book of World Records had its roots in the Guinness beer company, but apparently it began as a way to settle disputes in bar conversations about which bird was biggest, which gun was fastest, etc.  They also had a whole exhibit of Guinness advertisements through the years, which was pretty neat to see.  Apparently Guinness has been instrumental in lobbying to make Saint Patrick’s Day an official holiday in the U.S.  Who knew?

At the end of the tour I received my free pint of Guinness and drank it in the Gravity Bar.  The bar is awesome – it’s a circular room surrounded completely by windows.  I had a fantastic view of the city, which was really nice.

After I finished my Guinness I walked a few blocks to the bus station and caught a bus back to the airport.  I made it right on time.  It was a quick visit, but the Guinness Storehouse was a great way to spend a few hours of my very long layover in Ireland.

Taize

From July 10 – 16 I spent a week at Taize, France.  Taize is a small village that houses the first monastery made up of ecumenical brothers.  The brothers come from all different Christian traditions.  Some are ordained in their own traditions and others are not.  There are around 100 brothers in the order, and they serve either in Taize or living among the poor in developing countries.

Taize was begun by Brother Roger.  Brother Roger grew up in Switzerland and went on to study Theology in college.  After college, he moved to Taize, France with the idea of beginning an intentional community.  A lot of France was occupied by the Germans during World War II, but Taize was still located in the unoccupied zone.  Roger began hiding and housing Jews and other refugees from the Nazi occupation.  When the Nazis raided Taize Roger was away visiting his family in Switzerland, and no one was there.  He had to stay in Switzerland for several years because he was wanted by the Nazis.

Roger convinced a few other man to join him in brotherhood while in Switzerland and began their community there.  After the war, they returned to Taize, with the mission of living the Christian life with a goal of reconciliation.  They immediately began ministering to German prisoners of war.  They had the prisoners for dinner and assisted them in other matters as well.  Many people think this act of reconciliation is the reason why so many German teenagers journey to the community today.  The large church at Taize was funded by a German organization seeking to build a symbol of reconciliation in France.

Over time, young people began pilgrimaging to the community.  Pilgrims participate in the brothers’ life of prayer (3 x daily) and mission of reconciliation.  The brothers did not set out to be a pilgrimage site, but over time they have accepted ministry to young people as a central focus of their mission.

I arrived at the Macon-Ville train station around 12:30 on Sunday.  The station is small, and French, and I had no idea where the bus to Taize was located.  I wandered around, trying to find the bus without success.  Eventually, I saw two other women chatting and overheard the word “Taize,” so I asked them, and they showed me where to catch the bus.

It is a 45 minute bus ride from Macon to Taize.  On the way, I met another American named Wes who was also travelling in Europe and planning to spend the week in Taize, and 2 German girls who spoke very good English.  Upon arrival, we were sent to a room in the church where an English speaking Dutch man welcomed us, signed us up for dorms, food, and work, and explained the rules of the community.

I am not sure what I expected from Taize, but reality was not as I’d pictured it.  For some reason the notion of a monastery conjured up visions of a quiet, thoughtful community rooted in prayer.  The community is prayerful and thoughtful, but it is certainly not quiet.  It is a popular destination for Europan teenagers, particularly Germans.  So, there are teenagers running, playing, shouting, and singing all over the place.

I stayed in a dorm with 4 others.  They were all German.  One was a woman about my age, and the other three were 16, 17, and 18.  The room was simple, with 6 bunks and no power outlets.  The bathroom was simple as well.  It contains many sinks, toilets, and showers.  The showers and sinks both run on a timer so that you press the button and get about 8 seconds of water, which is an entirely new showering experience.  Because everyone at Taize has a a job, the facilities are cleaned by groups of young people on a rotating basis.  The cleanliness varied according to the day.

The meals at Taize were also simple.  Generally we got a scoop of rice and beans as well as a piece of bread and fruit or yogurt.  The most interesting part for me is that everyone received only a spoon, bowl, and plate.  The bowl held our fruit, and then later we filled it with drinking water.  For breakfast each day, we got a croissant, 2 sticks of chocolate, a pat of butter, and a bowl of either cocoa or tea.

My experience at Taize was incredible.  I came to dearly love the community and the things that they stand for.  The times of prayer are made up of simple sung chants and a period of silence, which I found refreshing and transformational.  As part of their ministry to reach all people, the chants are sung in a variety of languages.  The Bible readings are also read in a variety of languages.  There is always a translation provided in each language that is present that week.  In addition to the prayer times, each person can participate in a Bible discussion group and some type of work in the community.  My work was reminding people to be silent as they entered the church for prayer times.

My discussion group was amazing.  We were made up of a German, two Brits, 3 Slovakians, and one Dutchman.  We had 3 Catholics and 4 Protestants.  It has literally been years since I have felt so welcomed and affirmed by a group in the church.  Discussions centered around daily readings from the Gospel of Matthew and their application to our lives.  Members volunteered to lead the discussion.  In the spirit of reconciliation, all views were respected and welcomed.  No one had to pass any “theological tests” to have a say.  I became particularly close to Katie, who is from the UK.  We are hoping to connect again next summer.  At mealtimes and at other workshops, I found that there were also several people at Taize who were seeking but did not necessarily identify as Christian.  At least 2 Muslims and many agnostics were participating in our community.

Taize is wonderful because it is set up so well to minister to pilgrims wherever they are on the journey.  Pilgrims can choose to spend a week in silence.  During the week, they are assigned to a Brother or Sister who serves as a sounding board and helps guide their journey.  Communion is served each morning, and Cathoic Mass, Protestant Communion, and Eastern Orthodox Communion are all served in different corners of the church at the same time.  Brothers and sisters are available for individual appointments for people who wish to discuss something in a one-on-one environment.  For teenagers, after the evening prayer, a small bar is set up where they can get one beer or wine (only) and hang out, playing the guitar and goofing off.

In addition to the prayer times, individual times of silence and reflection are encouraged throughout the week.  I found these to be incredibly valuable.  It has been such a long time since I have prioritized silent reflection with God in my life.  It was almost like rediscovering an old friend.  I started some person journeys that have been in the back of my mind for quite some time.

My time at Taize was very much what my soul has been yearning for.  I am so grateful for the opportunities of healing, joy, fellowship, and prayer that I received.  Leaving was difficult because I have no idea how to take those experiences and transfer them into my daily life, but I have committed to at least intentionally incorporate silent periods of reflection into my daily routine.   Even as I was leaving, I made a friend from Germany at the bus stop who was also leaving and we traveled together to my stop at Lyon.   I have great respect for the community, and I am hoping to return next year during my travels.  

Because they ask that you not take pictures in the church, and because I was trying to focus on spirituality and not tourism, I did not take many pictures at Taize.  However, I am including links to 2 Youtube videos about the community.

This is one of the chants from Taize with images from worship in the church.

This Rick Steves clip gives an overview of life at the community.

Home Again, Rome Again

Have I mentioned that I love Rome?  We returned to the city Wednesday afternoon after a morning drive from Volterra.  Our group stayed in the Hotel Modigliani, near the Spanish steps and Trevi fountain.  We began our stay in room with a guided tour of the Coliseum, Roman Forum, and Pantheon.  Our guide, Francesca, was incredible!  She encouraged us to feel and “see” ancient Rome as it once was.  She said her job was to give all the experiences we cannot find in a book, and she did a great job!  The Coliseum is fascinating.  Did you know it was used for 400 years?  Originally the whole structure was covered in colorful marble and fabric.  It’s fascinating to think about all that took place there – animal fights, public executions, and gladiator battles.  Francesca reminded us of the political motivations for the emperor to confine and entertain his subjects.  Sadly, over the years, the Coliseum has been looted and destroyed.

Inside the Coliseum, including a partially reconstructed floor

We also walked through the Roman Forum.  It is pretty awesome to envision all the buildings that must have once stood where there are now ruins.  We saw the remains of basilicas and temples.  The temple to Jupiter had whitewashed boards mounted that told of the “daily news,” including horoscopes!  The House of the Vetal Virgins was my favorite part of the Forum.  It is beautiful, complete with reflecting pools, marble statues, and a rose garden.    The cobblestone in the forum is still original.  Isn’t it crazy to think about all the people who must have walked on it before me?  Julius Caesar, Constantine, Peter and Paul, Michelangelo, gladiators, vestal virgins, millions of ordinary every day people . . .  It’s an overwhelming thought, how things circle and paths cross.

House of the Vestal Virgins at the Roman Forum

The Pantheon may have been my favorite part of ancient Rome.  It is so simple, yet so amazing.  I love that the top of the dome is actually open air – letting in the sunshine or the rain.  Our guide said that Michelangelo walked there every day to study.  He designed St. Peter’s basilica after the Pantheon, but made it smaller, out of respect for the ancient temple.  I would love to spend some afternoons there contemplating.

To finish off the day we took a night stroll through Rome.  The atmosphere in Rome after dark is fantastic.  We went to the artist hangout at Piazza Nuvano, and then strolled over to Trevi Fountain.  I threw in my coins to wish for a return to Rome and true love.  The fountain was ridiculously crowded.  I literally crawled over people to get there.  It is much larger in person than I expected and very beautiful.

Yesterday morning we woke up and headed to Vatican City.  I must say, it was a little overwhelming.  I’m not sure I have ever been anywhere as large and ornate as the Vatican museum.  It became clear to me that over the centuries, the Pope has often been more of a king than a priest, and gave concrete evidence of the sheer power and wealth of the Catholic church.  My favorite parts of the Vatican were the map room and Raphael rooms.  The map room is incredible – maps from all over the Mediterranean cover the gold and orange hall.  The ceiling is decorated with paintings of saints throughout the ages.  Raphael’s rooms were fantastic.  I love his style of painting – so vivid and alive.  I also enjoyed the Sistine Chapel, but it was incredibly crowded, and I had trouble focusing and reflecting there.  We went to St. Peter’s basilica as well, but by that time I was pretty tired and my only real impression is that it was a giant church.  I did enjoy the domes.  There’s something very . . . heavenly about their structure.

Yesterday afternoon I took a nap.  When I woke up I looked out my window at the Roman skyline and thought to myself . . . wow am I going to miss this!  Italy has been just fantastic.

Last night was our farewell dinner.  I cannot believe the tour is already over – the time certainly flew by!  I really enjoyed getting to know the people travelling with me, and I would highly recommend a Rick Steves tour to anyone looking to travel in Europe.  Our guides were fantastic.  So many of the people were friendly and welcomed me to join their family vacations.  I’m really going to miss my new friends.  It’s such a gift to meet likeminded people from all over the world and experience new things together.  I hope to carry the generosity and hospitality of my traveling companions with me in the future.

Tuscans and Etruscans

July 4 -6

After leaving Cinque Terre, we stopped by the town of Lucca for the afternoon.  Lucca is an old Renaissance town that still has Renaissance era walls surrounding it.  The walls are very wide on top, and the people have turned them into a park.  It was a beautiful, charming place to stop for an afternoon.  We got lunch to go at a Foccacia bakery.  I had a focaccia, prosciutto, and cheese sandwich.  We took our food up on the wall and sat in the park for a picnic.

After eating, we rented bicycles and biked around the perimeter of the city on top of the wall.  It was really neat to see the view of the city and the view outside the city from the wall.  My guide lives in a village just outside of Lucca, so that added to our experience.  I really enjoyed the afternoon there.

Park and Renaissance wall at Lucca

We continued on to the town of Voltera.  Voltera is built high on top of a hill in the Tuscan country side.  It has beautiful views on all sides of the city.  The Twilight series is apparently set in Voltera.  Historically, Voltera has been known for its alabaster.  On the night we arrived we enjoyed another giant group meal in a restaurant, complete with house wine, varios antipastas (including the bread salad and egg plant), farro (Italian term for spelt) with peas and carrots, beef with grilled zucchini and eggplant, and “English soup,” (the Italian term for trifle) for dessert.  I really enjoy our group meals because it is delicious food and great company.  They last around 3 ½ hours . . . it’s really a whole evening affair.

The next morning we met a local guide for a tour of Voltera.  Voltera is probably my least favorite place that I have visited, but it was still very interesting.  We saw an ancient Estruscan gate that is still intact, which was very impressive.  The Estruscans were the native people in Italy before the Romans arrived.  We also toured an Etruscan museum and saw hundred and hundreds of urns that were carved to hold the ashes of deceased Etruscans.  The urns are intricately carved from alabaster, and include details about the individual’s life, much like ancient Egyptian and Roman sarcophaguses.

My roommate, Bente, under the Etruscan arch

My favorite part of the tour was the alabaster workshop.  Alabaster is a type of stone that is softer than marble.  For centuries, people in Voltera have worked with Alabaster to produce all sorts of things.  When carved and finished, alabaster is translucent.  The original windows in many old buildings around the city are actually made from alabaster – it functions a lot like frosted glass.  They also make sconces, vases, dishes, statues, and jewelry.  We got to watch an artisan turn a ball of alabaster into a bowl, and it was really neat.  I purchased some alabaster trinkets.  They’re my own purchases so far in Europe.

Alabaster workshop in Voltera

We also visited the Roman theater there, which is an archaeological remain of a Roman theater and bath house.    It seems very similar to the remains in Rome, and it’s always neat to see something so ancient.  Voltera, like many Italian cities, was built on top of the ruins from previous civilizations.  The theater had been under a soccer field for decades before they discovered the artifacts.

Roman theater

                                                                                                            

Yesterday afternoon, we toured the Palazzo Vitti.  It is the home of a very wealthy Italian family, and the woman who owns it actually still lives there.  Each room was filled with lavish decorations and historical masterpieces.  Some of my favorites were the porcelain collection, a Chinese chess set from the 1500s in which each figure was intricately hand carved, an amber Buddha made from the sap of a cherry tree, original alabaster windows, frescoed ceilings, and hand painted repeating patterns on the walls that function like wall paper.  In many ways, the palaces in Europe remind me of the Biltmore house, except that they are filled with different items from different places.

Last night, we went to a wine tasting at a local wine bar in Voltera.  They hosted the tasting in their cellar, which happens to be an ancient Etruscan home.  We could see the home, and the street.  The present day street filled with shops and restaurants was built on top of the ruins.  The semolina was very knowledgeable.  We tasted 4 different Italian wines.  He taught us about looking at the wine, smelling it, and then tasting it.  Three of the wines were traditional Italian wines made according to the strict Italian regulations.  The fourth is called a “Super Tuscan” wine.  It is made in Tuscany using French methods and then shipped to the U.S. market, where it is very popular.  I found out that the table wine here I have been drinking with our food is a Chianti.

Wine tasting in Voltera

Currently, I am on the bus to Rome and we are passing beautiful countryside.  We drive past fields and fields full of sunflowers.  I love it!  Italy is an amazing country full of beauty , history, and delicious food!

Fields and fields of beautiful sunflowers :)