Friday, July 23, 2010
So long Italy - it's been fun.
So, it's been awhile - whoops. Got pretty busy over here. Finished up with the International Peace and Security Institute; had the horrible experience of having to say goodbye to everybody (sad); caught up with Mom and Dad in Florence; travelled to Cinque Terre and hiked; went to Venice for a bit; off to Milan; and finally onto Portugal. It's been hectic to say the least. There has also been a fairly significant loss in my traveling life - Andre has decided to go adventuring on his own. He failed to let me know if this decision and somewhere between Cinque Terre and Venice, he took off on his own. I'm pretty sad about it as it has been a great 5 years of traveling together, spanning 19 countries and 6 continents. Andre, it's been great and you will definitely be missed.
So catching up - we had our IPSI graduation at a vineyard outside of Bologna. It was a great night including heading to the outdoor club for one last night. I had already had to say goodbye to Katharine as she had a wedding in the UK to attend. I'm not very good at goodbyes and often just avoid them, but I had a quick goodbye to Kat at breakfast. Saturday's goodbyes got even tougher as they started and just wouldn't stop. Of course the goodbyes to Elisa (my roomate), Jake (who always kept me laughing and enjoyed Origami as much as me), Awa (who always spoke in hyperboles), Lee (my fellow Saskatoonian - what do you call people from Saskatoon?), Jason (who may love Waterton more then me) and many many others. It was sad.
From Bologna, I was off to Florence to meet mom and dad. We spent the day wandering including going to see the David, PIazza Michealangelo and off course some window shopping. Next day we got up and took off to Cinque Terre. It is a wonderful little collection of towns, although I think I still prefer the Amalfi Coast. We hiked the 5 towns on the second day and were very thankful that we decided to start at Riomaggiore, rather then end there. Somewhere between Riomaggiore and Venice, Andre took off. That monkey just doesn't listen very well (I'm sorry Andre that I clearly didn't do a good head count).
In Venice we stayed in this out of the way little hotel. However, I was sitting looking at some pictures after our second day and realised that the canal that our hotel was on is the canal pictured on the most recent edition of Lonely Planet. I tried to take a similar picture, but the lighting just wasn't quite right. Anyways, it was an amusing discovery. Venice was great including a concert of selections from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, a tour through St. Mark's, a trip to Moreno (an island famous for it's glass making) and, of course, a gondola ride.
With a very hectic, very panicked trip, we finally made it to Milan with all of our belongings (I may have made a quick return trip to Venice and ran through the streets back to the hotel to retrieve something - although, again, not Andre). Milan was great, although short. Dad loved the Duomo and decided that it was his favourite of all the ones they had seen in Italy. We attempted to do some shopping, however, were generally unsuccessful. It wasn't a very long sleep last night as our flight to Lisbon left at 6:30am. But we arrived safe and sound and are just chilling for a bit now. It's much cooler here then in Italy and the breeze off the Atlantic is very welcome. Don't have definite plans yet, but will keep posted.
PS PIctures to come - internet is being stupid.
Monday, July 12, 2010
I love the mountains, I love the rolling hills...
Amazing, amazing, amazing - pretty much the only way to describe the Dolomites and the weekend I just spent visiting them. I have been getting a little tired of the heat and decided that the best way to escape the heat would be to head to the mountains. The Dolomites are a section of the Alps in the Northeastern corner of Italy. Prior to WWI, the ware belonged to Austria, but was switched to Italy post WWI. This has left the area pretty unique, with a wonderful mix of Austrian, German and Italian culture. href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOpb0SzRN2tEk6sBliIaBdoouoa5FpEz7kke-COhVJovHxJuXqz9uqgqeVLiqhls_QWUNQlyJaLI0cgJdhp_1-f7lZ4EoWpf6EgJyGfdX4ippP8F6XY8JbVXg58ZNluawSbsrwA/s1600/IMG_7327.JPG">
I was joined on the adventure by Kat and Jake. We took off Saturday morning (our Friday evening departure prevented by another Italian train strike). After quite a long train ride we arrived in Bolzano to heat. I was not impressed. However, the town was so incredibly cute and wonderful. It was very German/Swiss/Austrian feeling and had a great vibe. I felt right at home as people were dressed much more like me (in comfy mountain clothes rather then heels and such). After a quick stop at an amazing sweets shop and dropping our stuff at the hostel, we went into the main square to rent some bikes. 
We rode around Bolzano for a couple hours including stops at some castles and a show store. We then headed up a cable car to Ritten. It was amazing. I was actually at a comfortable body temperature while being outside. It was a really cute little place and we were all wishing that we hadn't booked a hostel and instead stayed up the hill in one of the cute hotels. On the cable car ride down, Kat started chatting with this lady (in German) and got a wonderful restaurant recommendation. Best food I've had in Italy.
Yesterday morning was an early one in an attempt to catch the bus to Val Gardena. I chose the place to hike based on the fact that I recognized the name (big ski resort town). It was definitely a great choice. We arrived in Ortisei and wandered around to find the info centre. We were given directions to one of the big gondolas and then headed up the mountain. It was a most spectacular view (I'll let the pictures speak to that). He hiked back down through Santa Cristina and San Giacomo to Ortisei and then had to catch the bus back to Bolzano to catch the train. It was a wonderful weekend, with great friends and wonderful memories.
It's the last week of class this week and Mom and Dad arrive in Italy on Thursday and will meet up with me on Saturday. Excited to see them.
I was joined on the adventure by Kat and Jake. We took off Saturday morning (our Friday evening departure prevented by another Italian train strike). After quite a long train ride we arrived in Bolzano to heat. I was not impressed. However, the town was so incredibly cute and wonderful. It was very German/Swiss/Austrian feeling and had a great vibe. I felt right at home as people were dressed much more like me (in comfy mountain clothes rather then heels and such). After a quick stop at an amazing sweets shop and dropping our stuff at the hostel, we went into the main square to rent some bikes.
We rode around Bolzano for a couple hours including stops at some castles and a show store. We then headed up a cable car to Ritten. It was amazing. I was actually at a comfortable body temperature while being outside. It was a really cute little place and we were all wishing that we hadn't booked a hostel and instead stayed up the hill in one of the cute hotels. On the cable car ride down, Kat started chatting with this lady (in German) and got a wonderful restaurant recommendation. Best food I've had in Italy.
Yesterday morning was an early one in an attempt to catch the bus to Val Gardena. I chose the place to hike based on the fact that I recognized the name (big ski resort town). It was definitely a great choice. We arrived in Ortisei and wandered around to find the info centre. We were given directions to one of the big gondolas and then headed up the mountain. It was a most spectacular view (I'll let the pictures speak to that). He hiked back down through Santa Cristina and San Giacomo to Ortisei and then had to catch the bus back to Bolzano to catch the train. It was a wonderful weekend, with great friends and wonderful memories.
It's the last week of class this week and Mom and Dad arrive in Italy on Thursday and will meet up with me on Saturday. Excited to see them.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
A crazy weekend (starting Thursday)
So, happy belated Canada day. We had a wonderful celebration here in Bologna. We have a good contingent of Canadians at our program and many became honourary Canadians for the night. After a not so lovely dinner out (Italian service is the worst, especially at a specific Greek restaurant who decided that I would not eat that night), we met up with a ton of people at a local club. When we arrived, there was some weird Celtic/Italian band playing. At moments it felt like Great Big Sea, Italian style. We decided to wait it out after hearing that a DJ would start at 11. Well at 11:45 the DJ finally arrived. It was a ton of fun from then on as it was 80s and 90s night. All the best music.
Saturday was a little trip back to when I was 17 in Italy. Fede, who many of you have probably heard about at some point, came to visit from Brescia. We met when I was in Italy on a summer Lions Exchange ten years ago and is one of only two people from that trip that I really keep in touch with. Anyways, Fede came down to Bologna on Saturday. It was definitely a little strange seeing each other after so many years, but we quickly fell into the way we used to talk. I have to say, it was really nice to be traveling in a car instead of the train. We headed out to Ferrara, a medieval town about an hour from Bologna. It is a neat little place. We wandered around the old town, through the castle (with a moat that was green), and had a great meal (yum proscuito and melon). After Ferrara we decided to head to the other side of Bologna and go for a drive up in the hills. It was absolutely beautiful up there and a nice break from the overwhelming heat (high of 38 degrees in Bologna plus humidity). Back in Bologna we grabbed a gelato for old times sake (my favourite thing to do when I was last here) and then said goodbye. We've agreed we'll meet again in 10 years, but this time in Sicily.
Saturday night was an adventure and I feel like I can't entirely do it justice here, but I will try. So, when we were in Ravenna last week, Jake had seen a pamphlet for a concert on Saturday at the Ravenna Jazz Festival. Maceo Parker was playing and a few of us decided to go. We should have figured out that this would be an adventure early on, but whatever. I got on the train in Bologna with Jerry (Czech), Rachel (Oz) and Ben (US). Jake (US) and Ava (Oz) were meeting us there on a train from Florence. Well. When we were on the train, Jerry was fined 5 Euro for not stamping his ticket before we got on the train. I got a text from Jake saying they would be late, their train had broken down and then were missing their connecting train.
When we arrived in Ravenna, we had to figure out exactly where this concert was. I knew where Jake had seen the pamphlets, so we went back there and picked one up. It had the address, so we stopped at a hotel and got directions. Back at the train station, Ava and Jake arrived and we started the walk over to the concert. Well, we were in the middle of some industrial area, and there was no sigs of a concert. We found a bar and after what seemed like enough time for him to have bought a cow, Ben (in his passable Italian) had figured out that this concert of the Ravenna Jazz Festival was not taking place in Ravenna - it was in some town 30km away. Ergh. We were heading back to the train station when somebody said, well, why don't was grab a drink, so we did. That was a bad idea. While we were sitting having a drink mom and dad phoned. It was the first time I had actually talked to them since getting here, but we had some sorting to do before they arrive here next week. Anyways, after the drink, we headed back to the train station. In our decision to have a drink, we had also apparently decided to miss the last direct train to Bologna. So we had to sit around and wait for the 12:30 train to Rimini. Then once in Rimini and a significant battle with the ticketing machine, we had to wait until 2:30 for the train to Bologna. Finally at 4:30 we rolled into the hotel, exhausted. Basically we went all the way to Ravenna to have a beer.
Ok, Sunday, intending on having a pretty boring day, I was totally talked into going back to Rimini (crazy) to go to the beach. I went off with Nick (Oz), Barbara (Brazil) and Usman (Pakistan). It was Usman's first ever trip to a beach and I think there was a bit of culture shock. I mean, it's not like going to a North American beach. People here aren't big on covering things and I think he was a little overwhelmed. I had a lovely hour or so on the beach before Usman and Barbara returned from a quick tour saying we should rent a paddle boat. So off we went. It was a lot of fun and I have to say, getting away from the yucky shore water was quite welcome. Eventually after a day in the sun, we caught the train back to Bologna. It was by far the worst train ride I had been on - we were packed like sardines, standing for an hour, no AC, and only one window that opened. I was pouring sweat and pretty much done for. I was so happy to be back in Bologna. Anyways, that was the weekend.
On Monday, I had an interesting dinner out with some of our speakers. First, Alvaro de Soto who was a lead negotiator in the El Salvador peace process along with work in the Middle East on behalf of three Secretary Generals of the UN. John McNamara, the Director of Planning in the US State Department's Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization and John Prendergast the Co-Founder of the Enough Project (and apparently a personal friend of George Clooney's). Anyways, it was a lovely dinner with lots of wonderful Italian food and great wine. Definitely a great opportunity to chat with amazing people.
Some disappointing news - Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, is having to send an alternate speaker as one of the cases before the ICC is having to be recessed until Thursday, which was the day he was supposed to be here speaking and having dinner with yours truly. Ah well, I guess the other person will still be interesting. We are onto our week of reconciliation, so lots of law stuff. Today we have a prosecutor from the ICTY, so that should be good.
Anyways, that's it for now!
Saturday was a little trip back to when I was 17 in Italy. Fede, who many of you have probably heard about at some point, came to visit from Brescia. We met when I was in Italy on a summer Lions Exchange ten years ago and is one of only two people from that trip that I really keep in touch with. Anyways, Fede came down to Bologna on Saturday. It was definitely a little strange seeing each other after so many years, but we quickly fell into the way we used to talk. I have to say, it was really nice to be traveling in a car instead of the train. We headed out to Ferrara, a medieval town about an hour from Bologna. It is a neat little place. We wandered around the old town, through the castle (with a moat that was green), and had a great meal (yum proscuito and melon). After Ferrara we decided to head to the other side of Bologna and go for a drive up in the hills. It was absolutely beautiful up there and a nice break from the overwhelming heat (high of 38 degrees in Bologna plus humidity). Back in Bologna we grabbed a gelato for old times sake (my favourite thing to do when I was last here) and then said goodbye. We've agreed we'll meet again in 10 years, but this time in Sicily.
Saturday night was an adventure and I feel like I can't entirely do it justice here, but I will try. So, when we were in Ravenna last week, Jake had seen a pamphlet for a concert on Saturday at the Ravenna Jazz Festival. Maceo Parker was playing and a few of us decided to go. We should have figured out that this would be an adventure early on, but whatever. I got on the train in Bologna with Jerry (Czech), Rachel (Oz) and Ben (US). Jake (US) and Ava (Oz) were meeting us there on a train from Florence. Well. When we were on the train, Jerry was fined 5 Euro for not stamping his ticket before we got on the train. I got a text from Jake saying they would be late, their train had broken down and then were missing their connecting train.
When we arrived in Ravenna, we had to figure out exactly where this concert was. I knew where Jake had seen the pamphlets, so we went back there and picked one up. It had the address, so we stopped at a hotel and got directions. Back at the train station, Ava and Jake arrived and we started the walk over to the concert. Well, we were in the middle of some industrial area, and there was no sigs of a concert. We found a bar and after what seemed like enough time for him to have bought a cow, Ben (in his passable Italian) had figured out that this concert of the Ravenna Jazz Festival was not taking place in Ravenna - it was in some town 30km away. Ergh. We were heading back to the train station when somebody said, well, why don't was grab a drink, so we did. That was a bad idea. While we were sitting having a drink mom and dad phoned. It was the first time I had actually talked to them since getting here, but we had some sorting to do before they arrive here next week. Anyways, after the drink, we headed back to the train station. In our decision to have a drink, we had also apparently decided to miss the last direct train to Bologna. So we had to sit around and wait for the 12:30 train to Rimini. Then once in Rimini and a significant battle with the ticketing machine, we had to wait until 2:30 for the train to Bologna. Finally at 4:30 we rolled into the hotel, exhausted. Basically we went all the way to Ravenna to have a beer.
Ok, Sunday, intending on having a pretty boring day, I was totally talked into going back to Rimini (crazy) to go to the beach. I went off with Nick (Oz), Barbara (Brazil) and Usman (Pakistan). It was Usman's first ever trip to a beach and I think there was a bit of culture shock. I mean, it's not like going to a North American beach. People here aren't big on covering things and I think he was a little overwhelmed. I had a lovely hour or so on the beach before Usman and Barbara returned from a quick tour saying we should rent a paddle boat. So off we went. It was a lot of fun and I have to say, getting away from the yucky shore water was quite welcome. Eventually after a day in the sun, we caught the train back to Bologna. It was by far the worst train ride I had been on - we were packed like sardines, standing for an hour, no AC, and only one window that opened. I was pouring sweat and pretty much done for. I was so happy to be back in Bologna. Anyways, that was the weekend.
On Monday, I had an interesting dinner out with some of our speakers. First, Alvaro de Soto who was a lead negotiator in the El Salvador peace process along with work in the Middle East on behalf of three Secretary Generals of the UN. John McNamara, the Director of Planning in the US State Department's Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization and John Prendergast the Co-Founder of the Enough Project (and apparently a personal friend of George Clooney's). Anyways, it was a lovely dinner with lots of wonderful Italian food and great wine. Definitely a great opportunity to chat with amazing people.
Some disappointing news - Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, is having to send an alternate speaker as one of the cases before the ICC is having to be recessed until Thursday, which was the day he was supposed to be here speaking and having dinner with yours truly. Ah well, I guess the other person will still be interesting. We are onto our week of reconciliation, so lots of law stuff. Today we have a prosecutor from the ICTY, so that should be good.
Anyways, that's it for now!
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