ITALIA!!

ITALY

Wow...I have to make an apology for it being so long since my last posting. There has just been so much going on here in Leiden and elsewhere. A week of so ago, my fellow students and I had a week off for Fall Break, and I chose to spend it in Italy. What a good decision on my part. I have to give a professor back home, Dr. K, some credit for my enjoyment while in Italy. His advice was very handy and I enjoyed my stay thoroughly. I chose Siena as my homebase while in Italy. Siena is a very beautiful city with charming alleys and gorgeous views of both landscapes and architecture. It carries with it a unique color that can only be understood by seeing it yourself. The Duoma, or "Cathedral" in English, is a site in itself. The marble work within the duoma is unlike any marble work I have seen. Many argue that it possesses the "best" floor of any Cathedral within Italy, but one could argue as to what they mean by the "best." The above picture is one of many many scenes that are depicted on the floors of the Duoma. I am honestly not sure what the artist was trying to say through this piece. Maybe it is obvious, but I'm not sure.



While in Italy, I also went to a small city that resides on a hill, a hill-side city. It was amazing. When you get off the train, you look up and see this Italian city on a hill. Its about 2 miles away, but you can't miss it. I could have taken a bus, but I chose to hike up the mountain side. The city is beautiful when you reach it, and the views from a-top are breath-taking. I will add a picture of the view, but the picture will do little justice if you appreciate nature/landscapes.





I also visited Rome while I was in Italy. Rome is like a walking museum. There is history all around you and if you blink, you will miss some of it. DON'T BLINK!! I was only able to spend two eight hour days in Rome. I advise several days if you want to see more than just the normal tourist attractions. Rome was also a gorgeous city if you can use your tunnel vision and block out all the tourists who are constantly in your view. The picture here is obviously the Colloseo, Rome's largest monument. It is also one the most visited sites within Rome. Though, I do believe that the Vatican Museums and the St. Peter's Basilica have more visitors. This is probably due to the fact that Vatican City is more so as a religious site, while the Colloseo is not. This is only partially true because the Colloseo also has religious references.

Well I could go on and on about my adventures in Italy, but that would take quite a bit of time, something that is limited to all of us.
All in all, my Fall Break spent in Italy was great. The food, the landscapes, the architecture, and simply being able to relax and take it all in was wonderful. Italy is definately on my "places to re-revisit" list!! Until next time, Tot ziens!!