Buona Pasqua (Happy Easter)!

Quick update on today: I got some new clothes & am officially allowed
to be seen on the streets in Italy. Went on 70km bike ride that was
simply wonderful with perfect temperatures, spring smelling, gorgeous
landscapes, birds chirping & I (finally) started to feel semi-fast
(had to be a tail wind).

Went to Easter Vigil mass (last year was in Princeton for it). Mass
started at 10pm, thought it felt a little long (didn't have time on
me), turns out it ended at 1:20am...pretty amazing how full the
cathedral was and how many people stuck it out to the end.

I hope every one of you has a very happy Easter and celebrate it's
true meaning.

Also, please pray hard for my teammate's brother who is fighting
leukemia and may not make it another day or two (his name is Dave).

Off to zzzzzzzzzz land!

Putting it in Perspective

Red line = an easy/shortish bike ride (aside from the climbs).

Good Friday

Why is Good Friday called "Good"? Doesn't seem good to me at all, at least I'm pretty sure Jesus wasn't calling it that. I'm pretty bummed that I missed mass tonight, but my bike broke on me (shifter cable snapped--when this happens, the gearing is very difficult and with the major climb home, there's no way I could have ridden it). Rode to Assisi again & apparently you're not meant to see it since the camera came with but the memory card did not. Sorry!!!

Fortunately, the bike shop is at the bottom of the climb (though many kilometers away from where I was when the cable broke) so I was able to make it there and they were awesome to help me out. The mechanics spoke enough English (though I was sort of hoping they would just try to speak Italian to me and I could try really hard to understand...I prefer it this way). I'd enjoy not hearing another word of English for the next 5 months, to be perfectly honest.

There's a street fair going on right now in the piazza with the most wonderful food (and some non-edible wares, too)--many of the vendors are from Sicily so I made sure to try a cannolo. It was, by far, the best one I've ever had--Dad, you'd agree with me, I'm sure. Shell wasn't flaky, but more solid and thick, the filling was creamy but with enough ricotta, it wasn't airy or too sweet. It didn't have the chopped chocolate or pistachios in it like the way I make them, but it didn't need the extra ingredients. There's another vendor out there selling cannoli as well, will try one of theirs tomorrow.

Picked up some super wonderful wine (Montefalco Rosso and Rossobastardo) -- two bottles, 12 euro. Can't beat that!

And here's the best part of my mini-food shopping extravaganza (besides the canolo): Mozzarella di bufala (1/2 kilogram for 4 euro, I don't know prices, but that has to be good)! (See how moist it is in the center?)

And huge olives! Guess it's not obvious in this picture how big they are, but trust me on this one. Huge (like the longest is a little over an inch long, I will measure later) and very, very meaty.

My version of the Mediterrean diet:

This is rosemarino (rosemary) pizza that I picked up from the local grocery store this morning, basilico (basil) and sun-dried pomodoro (tomatoes) with the mozzarella di bufala, drizzed with olive oil...what a treat!

Until I make friends, I'm trying to eat well at home since I'm going to want to go out a lot probably soon. Can't believe I'm in Italy living alone (basically), eating alone. This really stinks. The whole point of this was for me to get out of my "comfort" zone of living alone, doing my thing. And here I am, living similarly to how I did before. I will be moving in with Italians next month unless things pick up dramatically socially. On that note, I'm too tired to go out (wrong gear on hills ripped me up), though I know that I should. Tomorrow I will switch things up and start living more like an Italian! Buona notte!

School, Bike Riding and Church - Perfect Combo

School
Odd that it felt so good to be tossed right out of bed this morning by my alarm clock. I've always enjoyed the first day of school and now that I'm all grown up, I was still totally excited about it. Today was entrance exam day. All of the new students number somewhere around 70 total and we'll be split out into different classes based on our skill in Italian.

The full immersion experience began with the instructions being given in all Italian. For the very important questions, they spoke a few words in English. All of the faculty were very friendly and even more so when they saw my name. Thanks, Mom & Dad, it really helps me here to have the look and name of an Italian. As previously discussed, I clearly don't fit where it comes to dress and language, but I'm working on those aspects.

They had an option for the entrance exam to be oral and not written for those with very little Italian background. I took that option (though it sounded scarier). For people in my situation, I just talked to a woman for a few minutes (she wanted to know all about where my roots are in Italy) and she placed me in the almost-beginner level. That's appropriate & what I expected. I was a little disappointed as I couldn't wait to see what kind of material was on the written exam.

It's really cool to see what all they offer students: a really inexpensive museum pass for everything cultural in Perugia, good discount card for food, services, etc, gym (not sure if it's free or just super inexpensive), tons of movie nights, cultural opportunities and weekend trips. From what I could tell, I detected very few Americans are here. There's a very large asian population and I figure most of the others are from the EU (and they all are not going to be beginners, probably). Many more women than men, too. That's going to be weird for me since I'm so used to (and more comfortable with) being in male-dominated jobs and activities. But, I will have to wait until Tuesday to see who's who and what's what as that's the next day of class. Monday might be a holy day in Italy, not sure.

Bike Riding
I've been feeling pretty bad about not riding much. Of course, other things took priority and I needed to let the riding go for the time being. Now being settled in, I have the time and energy to get back out there and so I did this afternoon. The wind yesterday and today was strong but I simply didn't care.

Mind you, I've been riding on the same air that I got on the first day in Mallorca! The shop is always closed when I have a chance to go there (during siesta). But today was going to be the day to actually get in to the shop. In the meantime, I took a ride over to Assisi and went to St. Francis' church at the top of the hill. I said a prayer for everyone who needs one. Scary clouds were looming, but I've learned that these clouds often are pretending to be storm clouds. Good gamble, I could count the number of rain drops that fell on me today. Also cool to revisit the day from the Ciclismo trip when we visited Assissi--when Don bought me lunch and told me to save my money so that I could make this trip back to Italy and where Glenn and I hung out and waited for a very long time for Marcello, Roe and Jim who never turned up (it was such a gross touristy place--remember that sandwich, Glenn?)

Next stop: bike shop and it's a NICE shop! The woman who helped me was super nice and she hooked me up with a pump, lube, CO2 cartridges. All for 24 euro total (excellent price for all of that). Even better--I got times for group rides...this entire transaction was done in Italian (and a lot of hand-waving).

It was nothing but fun carrying that pump back home (1,000 feet of vertical over 4 miles), it would have been nice to have not made that wrong turn that involved even steeper pitches in the pavement, grades over 20% in six locations...all in-saddle. Gonna feel some legs yelling at me tomorrow.

My camera wasn't invited along for the ride, I wish I could share pics with you!

Church
If there's one place that I feel at home no matter where I am, it's in church. Today being Holy Thursday, there was a mass in the evening that I was very happy to attend. It was held in the cathedral and it was packed with people. No, I can't understand most of the words, but I know what they're saying. It's time with God and it's time to be a family--no matter the language anyone speaks. It fills me in so many ways.

Here are some pics that I snuck...sort of seems to suck out some of the meaning of a mass when the camera comes out, but I really wanted to share with you!

Candidates for confirmation are having their feet washed in the above picture.

There's something really special about these pillows, I just don't know what it is. The entire congregation crowded around the area in the back of the church where these are immediately after mass was over.

Here are the people swarming the "room" where the pillows were placed.

Sorry it's blurry, but better than nothing:

Inside of the cathedral.

Here's its exterior--I didn't guess it to be a cathedral prior to being pointed to it! See the stairs--very popular hangout spot for college kids.

Something that was interesting: when they gave communion, everyone all at once poured into the center aisle without people going in order (first row goes, when there's room in the aisle, the 2nd row goes, etc--the way it happens in the states). It was absolute chaos.

There was a lot more to notice/share, but I'll save that for another time when it's a boring Sunday and the only thing to report on is mass.

Also squeezed in time to shop today. Got this new shirt--turns out there are a lot of pretty cool clothes that aren't very expensive. Only issue: Italian sizes run small (Italian girls do, too). This is a medium and quite small on me. They didn't have a large and I don't care to ever wear a large in anything but socks. Gotta get serious about that Gelato Diet!

You Heard it Here First...

I saw Amanda Knox on the street in Perugia...she was skipping and whistling "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"...!

APRIL FOOL'S!!!

(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Home Sweet Home

Here's a tour of my new home, at least this month. Honestly, I love that it is so low maintenance and small. I'm getting the feeling that this is simply the way apartments work in Italy for students: the place comes furnished, with art on the walls and sheets on the bed. Dishes and pots and pans are in the kitchen. Why would any Italian student want to buy his/her own stuff? Most students move home after college so I'm guessing these purchases only happen after a couple gets married.

View out the window.

The shutters are great. The place is very dark until I open them up. Who needs curtains?

Kitchen:

"Cabinet" on the left-most side is the refrigerator (top) and freezer (split into three small sections, bottom).

Washer is in the kitchen. Yikes! I forgot--my laundry is done and I totally spaced it tonight. Not sure where it'll be getting dried...hmmm...



Tonight I got to meet a very cool family (family friends in a roundabout way) who were in town. We feasted at a great local restaurant that was down a cool alley. Oh, the best part of Italy is just this! And before dinner we had some to-die-for Montefalco vino. mmmmm. I need to pay that winery a visit (it's super close to Bevagna).

Here's that alley:

And here we are at a fab lookout spot:

Tomorrow, finally, is the day I've been looking forward to for 6 months now...Italian school begins! (Alright, so entrance exams are first, but I have a feeling I'll learn a lot just being tested about everything I don't know.) Buona fortuna to me!

(Or you could say "In bocca al lupo!" and I respond back to you: "Crepi il lupo." This means: in the mouth of the wolf and the response means: may the wolf die. This is right along the lines of break a leg.) No wolves, no breaking legs tomorrow, but definitely going to be an interesting experience being tested on a language that I haven't studied formally yet. Results will be blogged when I get them.

Ciao ciao!

I Have an Italian Address, Does that Make me Italian?

An update on what's going on with me: obviously, yesterday was a very tiring 24 km wandering all over Venice (yeah, I wore my GPS watch because I'm a wannabe geek). I took a night train to Perugia where I arrived at 7:15 this morning. The train was very uncomfortable: 6 sleepy people in a very small compartment. When I walked in, a guy was sitting in my seat (next to the window) and a child was crying his head off. Luckily, the guy moved (begrudgingly) and the child was perfect for the rest of the night after his mom returned (his poor, helpless dad). I slept off and on, but it was cold and not very restful.

I was able to take a nap (back at the farm), grab my stuff (I had left a lot there) and set off yet again. And so continues the journey of our comic character in the slightly altered version of the "Under the Tuscan Sun" story. Part two of this story was played out with me and all of my bags (much fuller and even more awkward than when I originally got to the farm) as I drug everything back down the gravel road to the bus stop. The sky was dark, I was sure I was going to get rained on and to top things off, I got to wait an extra 15 minutes for the bus since I misread the schedule (hrumph, there's two schedules posted for each bus and apparently today the other one applied where it never has before). Maybe kids are on spring break & it's a school vs non-school thing? These are some of the amusing frustrations to moving to a very different place.

I was only a couple of minutes late to check in at my new apartment (new for me, it's anything but new...it's centuries old and I like that part the best! I can't break it if the last 900 people before me didn't break it). Tonight I met my roommate who is from Holland and seems pretty cool. Best part about her: she doesn't like chocolate or wine...so I get all of the chocolate and wine others have given to her.

A quick trip to the market yielded a very early dinner since I was super hungry; it felt so great to be able to buy food knowing it won't have to be moved anywhere. Getting established, settling down. This is truly fantastic. Dinner was complete and satisfying: big, beautiful spinach and beet salad, pasta with olive oil and garlic, red vino, bread with very fresh honey from Sunday's market in Vicenza).

After dinner, I unpacked, put up pictures of family and friends along with the goodbye cards you all gave me, organized everything, stowed the bike bag and other luggage under the bed and here I am! Pictures of the place later, I'm exhausted. This whole process really, truly makes me feel like a college freshman again.

And one other thing to mention: it has been in the back of my mind for a few days, but the realization that I brought travel-appropriate clothes only and almost NOTHING fashionable has me totally freaked out. My Italian leather boots are collecting dust in Denver, grrrrrrrr. It's back to school time and I'm going to be that kid wearing the hand-me-downs from multiple other siblings. I might feel 19, but I can't dress like it if I want to be Italian. This could be a fun problem to solve! 

Blogging will slow down dramatically once school starts as there will be much more going on socially and I will want to study so my priorities will shift a lot. This blogging project has been so much fun and I really appreciate all of the personal emails I've received from you in response to the posts. They all mean so much to me to receive. Grazie mille. Ciao ciao!

A Letter to Venezia (aka Venice)

Dear Venezia,

Before I went to visit you the first time (which was yesterday), I thought you would be faking it. I presumed there would be a canal with gondoliers and boats just so people can take pictures of this one place and then you could make a fortune on stupid tourists visiting you. You were sure to try to sell me a thousand different t-shirts that capitalize on the cute little boats we see in the pictures.

I'm writing to say I am sorry. I prejudged you (though I was still very excited to see, in person, what you were all about). As I ambled through your many neighborhoods where everyday people live everyday lives, I realized you are really being you. You are a wondrous place to enjoy without the roar of cars, taxis, buses or even the whine of motor scooters.

Yours are the sounds of water lapping on the sides of docked boats,

the "buongiorno's" of locals greeting each other at the little markets,

voices echoing off the stone walls (who all have their own stories to tell)

 and the pitter-patter of the feet of visitors navigating your narrow cobblestone streets in yours,
 the most clever and beautiful labyrinth.

Yes, you have tourists, but for hundreds of years you have had tourists. Tourists are part of your fabric and they are here to breathe in your air that smells of the sea, attend your operas, fall in love again at sunset on a gondola ride and buy your lovely glass sculptures such that they may invite you into their homes.

You have inspired artists and countless others throughout the ages through your deep, lasting beauty. And I thank you for proving your genuine ability to be you and stay you such that I could get to know you.

My feet would like to express their opinion as they are in a very bad state today; but they are being bound and gagged so you will not have to be bothered with such trivial matters.

Sincerely,
Your New Friend

Tour of Venezia - GPS and Photo Tour

Click Here to see where I went yesterday in Venice.

2010-03-29 (Venezia/Venice) - Photo Tour

To Market to Market to Buy a Fat Pig...or...a sandwich with pig in it

Sunday is market day here and to market we went with a couple of adorable little girls and a few big girls (friends of my cousin).

First, though, we started with the typical Italian breakfast of brioche (sweet pasty) and cafe (shot of espresso) in a lively pastry shop.

Roadies were swarming the streets and it was perfectly warm out (mid-60s probably). Funny, I see the only pic I got of cyclists was one that shows the back of a woman. She was one of the only ones out there. 

The market was packed with people buying and selling wearable and edible goods. There are good deals to be had, for example: 5 euro for 3 small containers of bright red, fresh strawberries. The big (exciting) purchase for me was a garlic press, something I've really been missing/needing.

This is a ham sandwich that was really good. Yes, I ate a ham sandwich and enjoyed it (I think I've been craving protein as it's been harder to eat with all of the traveling). My vegetarianism is a thing of the past, at least for these six months of Italian living.

This jacket would be marked XL or XXL if it were sold in the states. 5 Xs in Italy, though.

Dinner tonight was at a local restaurant that, believe it or not, has a menu with more items on it than the Cheesecake Factory. This dish is the kind that I've tried ordering in the US for years and every time I've been disappointed. Finally, it was done right: thick homemade noodles, good red sauce (including veggies) and smoked mozzarella cheese melted all throughout it. Thank goodness I got out late this afternoon for an hour run (first one in weeks, was getting antsy with such great weather and no bike).

It was fun for me to be at dinner where there were kids since it's so unusual for me to ever be around young ones. (I give the moms so much credit, they do such a great job with the kids. Really don't think I'm capable of doing what they do.)

Signing off, will probably not be online again for a full day or so. More adventures, starting first thing tomorrow morning. Happy (if it's appropriate to say that) Palm Sunday! (Btw, Italians get not palms but things that look like a full branch/small tree.)