Ravenna

The City of Mosaics.

 

Chiusi

Just standing by some Etruscan red-figure vases from the 5th century BC, no biggie.

It was really bizzare to see some of the items used by the Etruscans.  For example, they had sewing needles carved out of bone that looked literally the EXACT same way they do today, and the items in this collection dated all the way back to the 13th century BC.  This was definitely one of the richest collections of ancient, i don’t know, i guess you could say ware, that I have seen.  They also had pins that had the same mechanism as we see on clothes pins, etc.

It’s funny though, because all of the items in this collection was really just normal, everyday things to them – to fetch water, or sew their drapery.  It was made without the intent of being put on display, yet we cherish what probably became their garbage and trash so much!  For a great reason though.  Imagine all you did for an entire 24 hours was carve a sewing needle out of a bone.  I mean, wow, so awesome!

I nervous for what people 3,000 + years from now will think of the stuff we have.  I mean, will they really think all the plastics we use today is art?  Ahh, but see it’s so different though because a plastic cup was made in 4 seconds in a factory but the kylikes ancient people used took way way longer to make and there was actually a person who actually spent a lot of time about thinking what they wanted this ONE kylix to look like.  No one was like, lemme just go to the superstore and get me my four pack of the exact same kylix.!!!  Granted, they sometimes repeated the same patterns and of course a lot of the same mythological scenes popped up, but still, there was a person’s artistic ability involved; unlike the way it is today.

 

I mean, think about your favorite cup, or bowl.  It’s probably the only one you have like it and it was probably hand-made, huh?  I don’t know, hand-made ware just makes dining so much more pleasurable.  And a pleasurable meal makes for pleasurable person 🙂

 

Sculpture Garden in Pistoia

I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life.  So pretty..i’ll let the pictures do the talking. 

 

Spannocchia!

Spannocchia was an old farming unit where the people who worked on the farm lived in a commune and the family lived in the castle. This is what I thought all of Italy was like before I came here, so I’m glad I got to see it.

 

 

 

 

The last two are pictures of my, I guess you could call it backyard.  Very pretty.

Delayed.

Yikes guys, haven’t been here in a while. Well, the weather has warmed up and the grass in my apartment complex is sprouting with little flowers up to my knees.  Everyone is in good spirits : )

Today, JP is coming over for dinner and we’re having pici. It is easily the best kind of pasta that exists and it was invented right here in Siena, omg so good and i never use omg on the internet.

Right now, I’m enjoying some caffè with the door to my room wide open and all the little birdies chirping.

I will have some pictures up from spring break and Spannocchia soon, I forgot my SD card in JP’s camera.

Anyway, I miss everyone and everything Flagstaff oriented.

I’ll be back on the 20th or 21st of May in my new place with the b-e-a-utiful Laura Schwartz. House warming party? House warming party.

LOVE.

here are the birds

this site is being difficult right now. also, my camera is not so good so i will start using JPs and perhaps the photos will better translate what I am saying to the people looking at them

here are the pictures that didn’t load at first

Via Francigena

Wow, what a beautiful day to visit this old pilgrimage route. I got to wear only a tank top and it felt so nice to feel the air on my skin. Oh to explain the picture with the umbrella – here you find one of many lovely italian contradictions. You need to fill up your tank with some petrol? What not the gas station be a bar where you can have a glass of wine or two? Ha isn’t that hilarious. This trip was certainly what I needed.

After being in a city for so long and only seeing lines that are horizontal or vertical, it is so crucial for my and human existence in general to go see the organic shapes of the world. It was honestly a very freeing experience for me and for everyone who I was with…I should have gotten a picture of all of us together because I loved the time we shared here on the old pilgrimage route.

As for the little piggies and birdies – they made my heart so happy and I just loved to see that animals that for consumption here are not locked up in little buildings where they never get to see the sun. I loved the little piggies so much I just wanted to hug them.

What a wonderful weekend.

Nuovo Papa!

There’s a new Pope in town and he was just elected by the cardinals. He is Argentinian – I’m not sure if the Italian really care that he is or not. There were a ton of people in Piazza San Pietro in Vatican City (still haven’t visited Roma yet). He took the name Pope Francesco after San Francesco d’Assisi because he strongly advocated for the poor and this new Pope wants to do the same. Wow, this is really exciting for all of Italy.

When we were having dinner, we watched the Pope inauguration for a little then looked through the channels, but every single channel had the Pope’s inauguration. I feel special that I was here in Italy for that! I’m going to have to visit Rome not this weekend or the next (class visit to Florence), but the weekend after that and I bet you people will still be hooting and hollering about it – how exciting!!

Me.

I haven’t put up many pictures of just me I guess. So here’s one, again from the Boboli Gardens (the Medici’s backyard) CRAZY STUFF!