Studentessa of Architecture

History is inescapable in the very cool town of Vicenza (near to Venice). Having no idea as to what Vicenza would be like, I found myself swept away by the seemingly endless cool churches, outside facades on the buildings, museums and other very significant buildings (and it's a fairly compact place). Is this how Christopher Columbus felt when he discovered America, the way I feel when I find a place like this? Except I'm tourist number 50 million to be here...I don't care, this is my discovery in my little (though slowly expanding) world.

It was an absolutely lovely day today with the birds chirping, tons of people out, eating on the patios in the streets, some (but not too many) tourists. Fine day for some exploring.

I learned a lot about Andrea Palladio--very influential architect who has a lot to do with the way Vicenza looks. The Teatro Olympico was the absolutely coolest thing to see (he designed it)--the initial show at this theater was Oedipus the King & what sounds like the most amazing theatrical performance ever (or at least the most anticipated as there were 2,000 people at the show and it's designed to hold a small fraction of that number).

Also made it to their Museo Naturalistico Archeologico (museum of Roman statues and garb, arrow heads from waaaay back, rocks and cool stuff dug up throughout the ages, and the flora and fauna of Italy, including nasty insects and creatures I don't care to meet. All of the signs were in Italian and this is one time it really would have been nice to have a solid translation.

Visited the Gallerie di Palazzo Leoni Montanari. It featured Byzantine icons from the time Christianity existed in Russia & now that's something I appreciate from learning about the Byzantine church back in Denver. It was all crazy with those ceilings carved in baroque fashion, hard to get tired of seeing this kind of thing. Wandered through a few churches (they, too, have a duomo that is massive and quite enjoyable to see inside and out). Here's a picture of it: 

All of this education today for the price of 6 euros--it dawned on me that I'm a student again and can get student discounts at such places. And a tiramisu gelato for 1 euro (also student discount). Even cooler that they don't question me when I tell them I'm a student. Sweet in so many ways.

And ended the day with my cousin and I at the top of a mountain that overlooks all of the town. Tons of roadies up there. Wished I had my bike, but it's best I didn't travel with it (for stress level reasons). She made a super yummy dinner and we dined in, this is the best kind of visit.

Guess what time it is, folks? Springing forward here in Italy tonight so *poof* there goes yet another hour. So time difference is this: when it's 6 pm in Denver, it's 2 am here. On that note, buona notte!