Czech, Please!

I can't tell you how many times I uttered the above words in Prague this weekend (with an alternative spelling, obviously)...meal after meal of goulash, pheasant, bacon dumplings, you name it! Thanksgiving is an annual trademarked New family celebration so it was a bit upsetting to have to spend the holiday thousands of miles away from my family for the first time in my life.  So, rather than fruitlessly attempt to recreate the magnificent Maryland potluck event, I opted to explore another awesome city with my Rome friends, this time adding my high school friend Alex to the mix. It was quite obvious that we would have to take advantage of how inexpensive a city Prague is and eat like royalty (see below pictures, of course)!

We checked into our hotel Thursday night and were pleasantly surprised by the themed ambiance. Our room included a lofted second story with three extra beds, jungle themed wallpaper and decor, and our own personal swing (yes, a swing...we're proud to relive our childhoods abroad).  We set out for a traditional Czech Thanksgiving which, for me, included strawberry-lime cider (sweet, tangy deliciousness with a little buzz) and beef goulash with bacon dumplings, a hearty and smoky dish, which was a nice change-up from our traditional Roman go-tos.  In a moment of utter abroad perfection, we went around the table saying what we were thankful for and, setting aside all of the silly inside jokes, all of the responses seemed to center around our appreciation for our experience in Italy.  We have really thrived in our travels together and, despite the small obstacles that stack up at times, we are all thoroughly respectful of and grateful for our time in Europe.  After our teenage sap-fest, we headed to Nebe, a small cocktail bar, for some colorful drinks and quality background music (Madonna, Jay Z, the works) before turning in for the night.

Friday was our unabashedly touristy day.  After a traditional Czech lunch including potato soup in a bread bowl (Panera cravings have since ensued) and sausages cooked in black beer (whatever that is...), we met in front of the Starbuck's in Old Town square for a free tour of Prague.  Yes, a free tour.  Kristen somehow scoped out a website that offers quality tours of nearly 70 percent of the city with no upfront charge attached whatsoever.  The company believes that you should give them how much you think the tour is actually worth and not pay any excessive fees, a nice philosophy and perfect for us cheap-o students!  We were able to cover the history of Old Town, the astronomical clock, the Church of the Black Madonna (creepy story attached to that one, you'll have to ask for the full deets), the Powder Tower, the central bank, and the Jewish ghetto.  Our tour guide Tijo was a hilarious younger guy from the Netherlands who moved to Prague because he "fell in love with the beer, the city and a girl."  Gotta love the guy and he dished out some truly compelling facts about the city.  Apparently, Michael Jackson performed a massive concert in central Prague where he erected a huge temporary statue of himself where Stalin's statue once stood.  Also, the Hugo Boss store is apparently ironically located in the Jewish ghetto because the designer actually created the Nazi uniforms.  Never liked the guy's clothes before and I certainly won't be shopping at his store in the future!  We polished off our day with a bit of souvenir-searching and headed to Phenix for a fabulous meal which included perch and pumpkin cake for myself with mulled wine as a beverage.  This little concoction is a hybrid of cinnamon spice tea and delectable red wine served piping hot--perfect! The disco we wanted to check out was also conveniently located right next door from the restaurant and it was awesome to say the least.  The club was five stories tall with a different musical genre playing on each floor.  Even the Oldies hits were enjoyable...who doesn't love Grease Lightning?  All in all a fantastic intro to Czech life!

Saturday, we decided to pave our own way through the city.  The main event was our trek across the famous Charles Bridge to Prague Castle on the other side of the water.  I've included a couple of shots of the gorgeous castle and the picturesque little town that surrounds it, but my dinky camera doesn't do the place justice.  We all absolutely loved the city, essentially a real version of Disneyland. Mostly, we just roamed through the castle grounds, checking out St. Nicholas' church and the monastery nearby.  Kristen and Alex tried out some traditional Czech pastries, while Megan snacked on the perfect apple crepe.  After even more browsing in the glass shops for classically Prague-ish trinkets, we prepared for our next exciting meal.  I ordered fish ravioli, skeptical in anticipation of its quality as we were all fresh from gorging on Rome's pastas.  However, the dish, soaked in shrimp cream foam, was the perfect combo of chewy and silkily creamy, as was Sara's truffle gnocchi which I stole a few bites of.  Luckily, everyone in our crew loves to share so bites of chicken, duck and foie gras were freely doled out around the table. After wrapping up our dinner (a gourmet meal came in at under 15 euro as converted from Czech crowns!), we did some bar-hopping around town, hitting up M1 at one point, a small hip-hop bar/club that celebs including Kanye West and Coolio have frequented.  Again, a quality line-up of activities for our second full day.

Sunday, we wrapped up our Turkey weekend adventure with a chic brunch at Paul bakery (the French chain) and some more souvenir shopping before a later flight home.  Prague was freezing, but exhilarating, so picturesque and rich with history.  I am glad we ended our cross-country travels on such a high note!

Traditional beef goulash for Thanksgiving dinner

Drinks at Nebe

Old Town Square

Tour guide, Tijo

The famous astrological clock

WJ reunion in Prague

Always repping Kappa Gam!

Gift shop at the Choco-Story museum

Mulled wine, my new favorite chilly weather drink.

Pumpkin spice cake...how festive!

The epic five-story disco...the largest club in Central Europe!

Perfect view of Prague Castle

Looking over to the castle from the Charles Bridge!

St. Nicholas' Church

Prague's version of Gianicolo

The church at Prague Castle

Stained glass interior

When I arrived in Rome, I made my way a few streets over from Termini for a quick dinner with Laura, a sorority friend from Emory, a relaxing way to wrap up the weekend and a sweet reminder of the fun to be had in the upcoming semester in ATL.  Though I am having an absolute blast here, I am starting to recognize the imminence of my departure.  Nonetheless, I am glad we've had the opportunity to seize each day abroad and this weekend was no exception. 

Ci vediamo dopo,

Alexi

Un Mese Di Più...What To Do?

One month more...what to do?  I cannot believe it.  Times flies faster than you could possibly think especially when 5,000 miles away from Rockville, I have found a new home.  One where, when I'm feeling under the weather, each of my roommates trades off in making me warm pasta and honey-drenched tea, where my Italian mamma Sus whips up rice with olive oil and parmigiano and tells me twice a day, "Prendi la tua medicina!," where the Chicago native at the pizza shop next to school gives me daily discounts and I now know how to call a skeevy Italian guy an asshole (stronzo!)  After a week of battling some serious sickness, I decided I had to take my recovery into my own hands and eke out some major sightseeing and Italian journeying this week...

Galleria Borghese

I wish I had some of my own images to accompany this commentary, but, unfortunately, you aren't allowed to snap any photos in the Borghese galleries.  Still, there's nothing like seeing the gorgeously decorated interior, the lifelike Bernini statues or the dark, enchanting Caravaggio paintings.  I have been to countless museums in the past couple of months, but nothing stuck out quite so much as this fantastic collection.  We went with Pier Paolo's class this past Wednesday and I can say without a doubt that this museum, situated in the breathtaking Borghese gardens, is my favorite, no doubt topping il Vaticano.  Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, amassed the incredible works, mainly awesome Baroque pieces like Bernini's "Apollo and Daphne" and Caravaggio's "San Gerolamo" (you can see photos of these from Pinterest below).  So, if any of you are starving artists seeking inspiration, please plan your next trip here.

Apollo and Daphne c/o Pinterest

San Gerolamo c/o Pinterest

The Perks of Pigneto

Friday, pre-Venice, I had to meet up with a partner from Sociology class to get a feel for the Pigneto neighborhood of Rome and conduct a couple of interviews for a Powerpoint presentation.  The one-hour, two bus trip there seemed to forebode a taxing experience wandering unfamiliar streets and begging on hands and knees for an interview in English.  Luckily, the day turned out to be a great success from the moment I arrived and hopped a few streets over for a delicious crepe to the bus ride home.  Pigneto is an incredibly diverse neighborhood filled with immigrants of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and African origin who are respected and made to feel at home.  The area is also a residential hotspot for young students who attend the nearby Roma Tre or La Sapienza universities and for several families.  We enjoyed the edgy graffiti and striking street art that lined the corners as well as the boatload of advertisements for upcoming films and concerts.  There are several theaters in the neighborhood and it attracts an artistically engaged group.  The individuals who live there are also incredibly politically knowledgeable and expressive.  Given how cool and intelligent they are, it was a shocker to learn that they were actually friendly, unlike those charming (*sarcasm*) Italians who frequently edge me off the 870 bus.  An aperitivo at Necci (chicken with tzatsiki sauce...a nice change) and a couple interviews later, we were on our way back, but it was nice to get into the nooks and crannies of Rome that might be lost to the naked eye.  The few pictures below evoke how intriguing the area is...sometimes the hidden gems make for the greatest experiences!

Typical street corner in Pigneto...

Graffiti gallore...

Aquila Theater

Free expression at its finest...

Radiation records...so artsy!

Necci and Alexandra, one of our interview victims!

Yummy pollo con salsa tzatsiki

Venezia: La Vita Sull'Acqua

After much anticipation and deliberation as to whether we could fit in the trip, we booked our Venice tickets last week...which unfortunately involved an overnight train that landed us in the City of Water at approximately 5:30 in the morning this Saturday.  Crazy, I know, but you take what you can get as a study abroad student.  When we arrived, all we wanted was more sleep, a caffeine fix and some warmth for goodness sake.  We weren't prepared for the tundra that is Venice in mid-November. Actually, you sort of forget about seasons in their entirety when it is still in the 50s and 60s in Rome. After a cornetto and some hot tea at the train station, we set out on a brisk morning walk to the local fish and produce market.  The smell of spidercrabs and swordfish isn't exactly the kind of wake up call I normally seek out, but it did the trick.  We got a non-touristy view of St. Mark's square, albeit the foggy weather, and ducked into a chic coffee shop for espresso before making a game plan. After a decent amount of port-hopping (many water buses were closed due to fog), we finally found an available line to Murano, the island specializing in breathtaking glass.  Once we landed, we must have visited (I kid you not!) 30 glass shops looking for souvenirs for friends and family.  I have seen beads in every fathomable shape and color...ovals, spheres, squares, strange glass daggers, Nativity figures, you name it.  We took a later bus back to Venice after our cash and stamina was exhausted and had to desperately search out a restaurant that was still open at 3.  Luckily, we found a nice corner joint where I ordered spaghetti with squid ink and grilled salmon, a nice sampling for a city specializing in fresh seafood.  After, we toured and shopped around a bit more before taking a "gondola" (AKA water taxi...we're students, we have to think cheap) to Ferrovia for our train back. The city is certainly one of a kind with its array of brightly colored buildings and its elegant gondola paddlers gracefully swinging the long boats across the shining waters that coat the entire isle.  It's the kind of city you can typically only imagine in a daydream so I am thrilled we had the chance to see it for ourselves.  

Fresh fish at the market

Wish I could have brought these home...

Morning fog doesn't obstruct the lovely views

St. Mark's

Chilly, but enthusiastic

Still chilly, still happy...in Murano!

Just a day's work for these guys...but so much fun for us! 

A kiln in Murano

The gorgeous go-to for glassblowing!

All in all, a week well spent.  Today, after showing one of Sara's friends around the city center, I split to take the 44 bus home and met a lovely Italian teenager and her mom.  The most rewarding part of our hour-long conversation was when her mom chimed in to Marla (my new friend), "Lei sembra italiana."  She seems Italian.  What?  Who?  Me?  I think the woman meant that I simply looked Italian with my dark eyebrows and hair coloring, but to me, it meant a lot more.  Because when she said it, I felt a bit proud with my newly granted title...I felt come una vera italiana.  Like a real Italian.  I hope that I retain even a glimmer of that feeling when I return home in less than 4 weeks.  But until that time, I'll enjoy what precious few days remain here.

Baci,

Alexi

"Must-Do" Madness

There are a million and one hard things about accepting that Rome isn't home forever: ditching the cobblestone paths and gorgeous panoramic views for America's classic concrete pavement, not being able to board a three-hour train to any of a dozen thousand-year old cities with exceptional carbohydrate offerings, and leaving my apartment-mates and "Mama Sus" who have become like family, to name just a few.  Sara and I try to avoid thinking about leaving too much lest we tear up, but it is true that the time has come for us to get in our list of "must-dos" on our expansive mental to-do lists.  We started the trip with 1,000,001 and, as it is crunch time and we have taken a few lazy days here and there, we have to prioritize the most crucial and let the useless novelties and the extraneous museums and tourist sites fall by the wayside.  Luckily, we were able to check some important priorities off the list as you'll read on to see.

Scaling St. Peter's and Viewing Vatican City

I have something to confess.  I may or may not have spent two months in Rome without going inside the Vatican.  I know, it's pretty terrible.  Still, I knew I would not leave the city without traversing the papal city (actually, its own state) quite thoroughly.  So that was at the top of the agenda for this week.  Sara and I browsed St. Peter's on Monday and then scaled the dome to the very top where you can overlook the historic city--obelisks, Tiber, Castel Sant'Angelo and all.  When our luggage tag was snatched away by the wind atop the dome, we panicked a bit.  The guys at the baggage desk were just about to rip us off by charging us thirty euros for the plastic tag and I had my hand in wallet ready to pay, but Sara knew better and argued us out of that issue!

Luckily, Wednesday's field study for Rome as a Living Museum, consisted of a trip to the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel.  Apparently, the museums garner around 15,000 visitors a day, more than the Roman Forum and the Colosseum combined!  Props to the Pope for knowing how to turn a dime (or should I say centesimo?).  The Belvedere garden is one of the coolest features of the Vatican with incredibly famous statues like the Apollo del Belvedere, which was unearthed from Nero's Domus Aurea in the 1500s.  The gallery of maps was also a personal favorite with enough gold detailing on the ceilings to satisfy every cast member of Real Housewives for life.  The Sistine Chapel contains some of the most beautiful and intricate painted scenes, but I have to say it wasn't exactly what I was expecting.  Aside from the painting, there is little ornamentation in the sacred space where popes come to be inaugurated.  Still, it was awesome to see one of the world's most famous wonders!

Inside St. Peter's

Sara and I at the top of St. Peter's

At the top of the list for most breathtaking views
of Rome!

The Laocoon in the Belvedere Courtyard

The pinecone courtyard in the Vatican Museums

The gallery of maps

Vino Della Casa...Alla Scuola?

House wine...at school?  This can't be real life.  But it is.  And it's deliciously crisp and fruity, with a tinge of a citrus aroma.  (Okay, maybe I'm not quite at sommelier status yet, but you've got to give a girl props for trying).  This past Wednesday, IES hosted a white wine tasting after class: 4 glasses, a cheese plate, crackers, some pizza slices...pretty much all a girl can ask for after a long day of class! Sasha, a woman with a master's degree in "food culture" (what I need to pursue post-college...) and Matteo, a sommelier who spoke not a word of English, gave us the 4-1-1 on wine production, variety and tasting of course!  We judged color, aroma, alcohol content, flavor and the correct food pairings for each glass.  I have to admit, I don't really know the difference between "straw yellow" and "amber" or what that indicates perse, but the wine was sweet, the company was sweeter and it was a nice way to kick back and relax after running from field study to field study. And now I may have a thing or two to contribute to conversation with any wine-os i encounter in my future.

Preparing for our vino!

Swirling the wine to see its "legs"

Olive Oil from Sabina's Soil

Friday, I took a little daytrip to the Sabina region of Italy where the finest extra-virgin olive oil is produced!  We were first led on a tour of the olive groves, where we raked our own olives off of the trees, then gathered them to be harvested.  We learned that the olives used to produce olive oil are different from the ones we typically eat before a meal.  I actually found this out the hard way when I sampled one of the former variety: so bitter!  We then proceeded to visit the efficient little factory where the olives are ground up, the water is separated from the oil, and the oil is packaged in large airtight vaults to ensure maximum freshness before being shipped away.  Still, the best part of the trip had to be the lunch at the owner's villa/bed and breakfast: warm bruschetta coated in the delightful olive oil, freshly grilled eggplant, peppers and zucchini, farfalle al dente coated in creamy tomato sauce, chicken cacciatore and homemade tiramisu for dessert.  No complaints, but when have I ever complained about food here.  I've decided I either need to take over Tom Sietsema's position as the Washington Post food critic or become the female version of Rick Steves.  I was glad to have this opportunity to educate myself about one of Italy's most important culinary offerings and enjoy a place so different from Rome, yet just 30 minutes away.

Villa at Sabina

So gorgeous and sunny!

Hard at work raking those olives!

Not a bad hilltop view!

Pranzo...fantastico!

The eventful week was not a bad way to chip away at my master to-do list.  Unfortunately, the hustle and bustle must have taken a toll on me as I haven't been feeling great this weekend.  But, thinking positive, it has been a good excuse to drink excessive amounts of chamomile tea or have Megan prepare it for me with extra honey (Thanks Megs!), catch up on sleep and a few readings here and there, and listen to Sara Bareilles on repeat (my feeble attempts to sing along next to my a cappella star roommate are a little embarassing, but it's always fun to give it a shot).

Hope to update you all soon!

Ciao,

Alexi

Filling Suitcases

"Carries a lot of suitcases but all of them are empty because she's expecting to completely fill them with life by the end of this trip & then she'll come home & sort everything out & do it all again." -Brian Andreas

My friend Leah sent me this quote a while back.  It is from the StoryPeople website, where a man named Brian Andreas writes thousands of little blurbs that are a bit quirky, yet somehow perfectly sum up a whole range of emotions and experiences.  This one definitely got me.  Probably because my suitcases actually were empty in comparison to the three duffels brought by every other girl in my apartment.  (Why is this the one time I chose to underpack?  I have done laundry 30 times to everyone else's three.)  But, on a more serious note, I think this guy captures how important it is to shake things up be it by traveling nearly 5,000 miles away or a few blocks, because it makes you feel more whole.  Basically, if you never change perspective, you will likely always be looking at the same thing the same way.  By adding a new viewing lens to the mix, you will come to appreciate much more, to notice and savor things that passed you by before.  

Having Faith

This week, I had one such chance to look through a different lens.  My International Relations class traveled Wednesday to the Mosque of Rome, the largest mosque in Western Europe which accommodates 12,000 people.  I have seen dozens of churches during my time here, hundreds of elaborates stained glass windows and fine depictions of saints.  This structure was much different. There cannot be any pictures or statues in a mosque as they are considered blasphemous in Islam.  The structure was adorned with beautifully intricate mosaics though.  We watched our tour guide do his prayers (a ritual practiced five times a day) and examined several Arabic texts in the building's small library.  

At home, I do not think I would ever explore or examine other religions to the extent I do in Rome, the seat of papal authority.  But the experience has been much more rewarding then I would have expected.  Seeing so many passionate individuals who have obviously pursued a thorough religious education has inspired me to do a little bit more research on my own part.  My repository of knowledge concerning world history and major religious roots is getting rusty and I am just not okay with that.  I am determined to start to read the newspaper more at home (and not just flip to horoscopes after skimming A1), to brush up on why people believe what they do and what motivates them to action, and to think outside of my little DC and Atlanta bubbles.  There are too many fascinating ideologies and enrapturing peoples in the world to turn a blind eye to their beliefs.  And I cannot turn a blind eye to my own for that matter.  I have let my own spirituality and religious connection fall by the wayside in college and I think it is high time I reconnect.  So whether this means a Birthright trip in the summer or simply finally putting my library card to use, I am feeling spiritually refreshed and engaged from my time abroad.

The center of the Mosque of Rome

Mosaic tiling bordered in Arabic text next to the area
where the Imam leads Islamic prayer

Reflections of a Chronic Over-Analyzer

Obviously, I have learned a lot from the physical presence of history in my home city.  I have realized that I need to seize my desire to broaden my horizons and appreciate the 7 billion people sharing the globe with me.  But, of course, everything always comes back to home base and I am constantly evaluating my own strengths and weaknesses throughout my time here.  

Strength: A positive attitude and good intentions.  I am predisposed to be optimistic which has taken me far.  I can't say I was the same as an angsty teenager, but I always like to like what I am doing which has made this experience.  

Weakness: When plan A fails, I tend to unravel.  I overuse the Stickies application on my laptop, I make a million to-do lists and when I have to resort to plan B or plan C, I am automatically programmed to hyperventilate.  This is a no-no here.  I am working on it.

Strength: I do my best, honestly, in part because I am driven by some self-induced anxiety.

Weakness: Sometimes I lose sight of the bigger picture.  I only have a month and a half left here (not even, AH!) so I can't get complacent.  There is too much to do and to see, not to mention that I don't know the names of 3/4 of the fabulous restaurants I have been to so my travel guide to Rome would include a lot of "that place by the church on the corner of that piazza, ya know?"

Strength: I have "al dente" down pat.

Weakness: I have "al dente" down pat.

Thanks for letting me air that Elizabeth-Gilbertesque analysis of myself.  I know that certain people think the Eat, Pray, Love author whines a bit, but I am all for the eloquent self-dissection.  In the end, I am so the girl that picks apart the minute details of each situation and I need an outlet for the observations so this is it.  Now, I have to run and snack on a Pocket Coffee, the best combination of caffeine and sugar that ever existed!

Baci,

Alexi