Family and friends, I can now check a sixth and seventh country off my list for this year's travels: this time, Italy. I can't think of a better way (besides at home, maybe) to spend the holidays and the new year, and I feel like a totally different--definitely more well-rounded--person because of it. Visiting historic sites that have existed for thousands of years and witnessing notorious works of art has given me perspective, but has also allowed me to appreciate the world for what it is.
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| Salted caramel, one of my personal favorites. |
In the past few weeks, I've tried a dozen flavors of gelato, used at least five different methods of public transport, seen two new seas, met travelers from four continents, and traveled myself over 1,700 miles to explore a new country. We've been to art museums, science museums, fountains, gardens, cathedrals, piazzas, a palace, a skating rink, and even a zoo to have the adventure of a lifetime. The weather was perfect: warm(ish) and sunny, begging us to explore the sights and sounds around us.
My travelling partner for this time around was Hamish, a Form V pupil from Dollar who lives in Spain. Hamish deserves extra credit for several reasons, including 1. he has a plethora of interesting history/life knowledge up his sleeve, 2. he puts up with my obscure and random facts about Catholic saints, and 3. he sings Hamilton on demand with me. He's also as hilarious as his is informed and open-minded, which made him a fantastic travel buddy.
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| Meet Hamish, who is standing in two different countries (Italy and the Vatican) at the time of this picture. |
Here's a basic itinerary of what we did over the holidays: it would take hours of me to give the amount of detail all of these experiences deserve, but when I get back to the States, I promise that I will have lots of stories to tell.
FIRST STOP: ROME
Duration of stay: 10 nights
Best food: Penne with octopus; lamb tsehbi (a sort of stew) at an Eritrean restaurant
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| The Mouth of Truth supposedly bites off the hands of liars. Thankfully, my hands are intact. |
Most unexpected: At the location of Julius Caesar's murder, there happens to be a "cat sanctuary" for strays-- and visitors can adopt them. What a temptation.
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| Pope Frankie at Christmas, preaching a message of peace. |
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| A Vatican Christmas parade. |
Most memorable experience: A failed attempt at both cornbread and Venezuelan cachapas in the Hostel; using the Snapchat face-swap feature in the Vatican museum; practicing Scottish Dancing around the Circus Maximus
SECOND STOP: POMPEII
Duration of stay: day trip
Best food: The best cappuccino I have possibly ever had at the unlikely location of a train station
Top experiences: The beautiful panorama of Mount Vesuvius; my first ever view of the Mediterranean Sea; seeing mummified victims of the volcano
Most unexpected: The actual ruined city was closed, but walking around and seeing the ruins from the outside was just as worth it.
Most found: Hamish singing Bastille's "Pompeii" as often as possible; breathtaking scenery
Most memorable experience: ordering a plate of "mixed appetizers" and getting a plate of raw ham
THIRD STOP: FLORENCE
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| Chiesa Santa Maria del Fiore, my favorite cathedral. |
Duration of stay: 6 nights
Best food: indulging in arepas and tequeños at a Venezuelan restaurant
Top experiences: Seeing Michelangelo's David,the famous Birth of Venus, and other famous works at the Uffizi Gallery and the Galleria dell'Accademia; Piazza de Michelangelo and its views; a whole building dedicated to food markets; the Florence Cathedral; long river walks
Most unexpected: The actual city of Florence is quite small, making it quite navigable and forgiving on the feet-- especially after the hills of Rome.
Most found: Leather and clothing shops; art and statues at every corner
Most memorable experience: Visiting the Galileo Museum and seeing maps dating back centuries
FOURTH STOP: PISA
Duration of stay: day trip
Best food: A simple picnic in front of all the tourist sights
Top experiences: Sunbathing in the warm atmosphere and perfect weather
Most found: Horses and carriages offering rides to unassuming tourists
Most memorable experience: Seeing everyone make a fool of themselves attempting camera tricks with the leaning tower, and action of which I am equally guilty
FIFTH STOP: VENICE
Duration of stay: 5 nights
Best food: Mushroom risotto; a delicious wrap with ingredients I could not name or recognize
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| A charming scene on the island of Burano, where every house is a different color. |
Top experiences: Wandering through the canals; St. Marco's Cathedral; the Doge's Palace; the Museum of Natural History; riding the waterbus to neighboring islands (Burano was the hands-down winner); Venice's Museum; the old Jewish Ghetto
Most unexpected: Venice is, in Hamish's wise words, a "topographer's nightmare"-- most streets seemingly will lead to a dead end, or even just take you back to where you started. It's like a maze, but on an entire island.
Most found: Bridges; overpriced gondolas; glass from the factory on Murano; masks for the famous Carnival in February
Most memorable experience: A Star Wars marathon celebrating the New Year
Overall, the indescribable views, the unique experiences, and the breathtaking historical and artistic scenes alone made our journey to Italy worthwhile in itself. Not only was the trip education and mind-opening, but it was also a perfect way to get out of the study zone and enjoy ourselves. If you had told me a year ago that I would be able to travel the world and actually check these adventures off my bucket list, I would never have believed it-- but here I am. Again, I am so grateful to everyone who made this able to happen-- family, friends, teachers-- and who enabled me with the courage and confidence to achieve this.
Although the gun-gray skies of Scotland were a less-than-warm welcome back, I am certainly ready to be a productive student again. Study leave for prelim tests start two weeks today, so a bit of review was definitely a good idea: the excuse of studying "history and art" in Italy will only get me so far. Next break is in mid-February, and I'm thinking Amsterdam maybe (open to suggestions, though! Leave a comment!). Until then, I must learn to "carpe diem" in my own everyday way, braving the bitter cold and taking advantages of my opportunities here at Dollar.
P.S. A few of my favorite moments...
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