That would be Ravenna. The town itself isn't great, but whatever problems it has, it's worth it for the amazingness that is the history and art here. The Basilica San Vitale is one of the most incredible things I've ever seen in my life. If I didn't have to eat, sleep, etc, I would stay there forever. I can't even put into words how much I love it.
There are a bunch of other sites here, and most are also great; they're mostly churches so I won't bore with the details until I can get back and show pictures. Dante is also buried here, but I'll go to his tomb tomorrow.
Before I left Bologna I met an interesting Brazilian guy, and I told him about Ravenna. He's here to get his Italian citizenship, so mostly he's just hanging around without much to do. Anyway, he was really interested in the town - he likes Byzantine history and even knows about the Nika Revolt! - and he's coming here in a bit to see all the sites.
Last night I shared a room here with two French girls, cousins, who were traveling a bit in Italy. One is an archeology student so she was just as interested in everything as I was; it was cool. We all went to the sites together today, and we only spoke French! Their English is not very good and I figured it would be a good opportunity to practice everyday French with real people. I did pretty well, if I do say so myself: I even succeeded in explaining the implementation of the Nicene Creed! I'm quite pleased with myself.
Anyway, I am getting really tired after a bunch of days of walking around for hours upon hours, all the time. I think I'm going to sleep in tomorrow...maybe to 9am! Exciting. Tomorrow I'm going to one church, Dante's tomb and perhaps revisiting San Vitale, then I go to Ferrara. Everyone's been telling me there's little to see in Ferrara, but they don't understand how much of a nerd I am. I try to explain about the d'Este family, but most don't know them, which leads me to explain about Lucrezia Borgia (she married into the family) which then leads to Cesare Borgia and Machiavelli's "The Prince". At this point people are pleased at recognizing something I just said and tend to think Ferrara is what Machiavelli wrote about..which isn't the case. But then I am tired of explaining things and just say yes, that's why I'm going.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
in bologna
And now I am in Bologna! I had a rough time getting to my hostel last night, as apparently a bus only goes there every 2 hours. Very annoying. So I got there too late to go back and do stuff, but I planned all the stuff I'm going to do for the rest of the trip.
Today I walked around for a while and checked out the central Piazza, where there are various palazzi (palaces, but not really - just big houses of important people). There is also the ugliest basilica I've ever seen - from the outside - but the inside is much nicer. Italians just aren't very good at Gothic, I think they're too happy all the time.
I also saw the library of the University of Bologna, which was COOL. The old anatomy classroom was open, and it was really interesting to see where the students used to have class. They have an incredible collection of books from early medieval times on, but the actual library part is only open to readers. There were a bunch of old books on display, though, and that was fun. The ebst part was probably that the whole thing is in a former palazzo, so everything is really decorated - and the areas around the library and classrooms are covered in the coats of arms of prominent teachers and students through the ages!
Besides that I've mostly just hung around the Piazza and taken a bunch of pictures. I'm about to go have lunch, then I'll go to a handful of churches. Most museums in Italy are closed Mondays, so churches and internet cafes are about the only things I can do today! And eat delicious food, of course.
Today I walked around for a while and checked out the central Piazza, where there are various palazzi (palaces, but not really - just big houses of important people). There is also the ugliest basilica I've ever seen - from the outside - but the inside is much nicer. Italians just aren't very good at Gothic, I think they're too happy all the time.
I also saw the library of the University of Bologna, which was COOL. The old anatomy classroom was open, and it was really interesting to see where the students used to have class. They have an incredible collection of books from early medieval times on, but the actual library part is only open to readers. There were a bunch of old books on display, though, and that was fun. The ebst part was probably that the whole thing is in a former palazzo, so everything is really decorated - and the areas around the library and classrooms are covered in the coats of arms of prominent teachers and students through the ages!
Besides that I've mostly just hung around the Piazza and taken a bunch of pictures. I'm about to go have lunch, then I'll go to a handful of churches. Most museums in Italy are closed Mondays, so churches and internet cafes are about the only things I can do today! And eat delicious food, of course.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
milan
So I am sitting in an Internet cafe in Milan, and I cant find the apostrophe key, I apologize.
Milan is pretty awesome. Its a fairly large city, but feels small and intimate. There are tons of art museums and churches to explore, and Im having a really good time so far! Today I saw the Duomo, which was very large and Gothic, but the inside was not as impressive as it seemed like it would be. It just did not feel like a holy place like other ones do - Notre Dame and Chartres, for example, are swarming with tourists, but still have a sacred feel. There were a lot of interesting things to see though, like a Medici tomb and a bunch of statues and such.
Then I went to the Ambrosiano Museum, which has a truly stunning collection of art, including many da Vinci sketches from the Atlantic Codex, one of his portraits, part of the sketch of Raphaels "School of Athens", some Caravaggio, and Botticellis "Madonna of the Canopy". The latter was most impressive in person, besides the da Vinci sketches, though the Raphael was really cool too. The museum also has a library attached to it which I probably spent about 10 minutes just staring into, but its closed on the weekends.
I also saw the Basilica Ambrogio, Chieze Maria della Grazie and Basilica San Lorenzo. The first, Ambrogio, is Milans oldest church and is really, really intersting. It was started in the 5th century by Ambrose himself (eee!) and even has his remains! Which were kind of gross, as its his entire body still dressed in robes and somewhat preserved. It is bad to take pictures of dead saints? Anyway, its cool and Byzantine and Neoclassic at the same time, smallish, and has tons of hidden mosaics. It was probably my favorite church so far. When I was leaving a flock of nuns came in!
Da Vincis "Last Supper" is in a refectory connected to Chieze Maria della Grazie. I did not find out until I arrived in Milan that you need a reservation at least a week in advance to view the painting. Sad. So I didnt get to see it, but I took lots of pictures of the outside of the refectory (which is a cafeteria for monks - an appropriate place for the "Last Supper"), and the church itself was pretty cute, but weirdly decorated.
San Lorenzo was very impressive from the outside but rather disappointing on the inside. I left it and went into the small courtyard in front and sat and watched the punk kids for a while and tried not to laugh too much at the irony of Goth-punk kids hanging out in front of a church. Then I met a rather nice Italian boy who discussed Italian music with me for a while and then I left him - if he is to be believed, and he isnt - completely heartbroken.
And now Im here, and in a moment I will leave for dinner. Ciao!
Milan is pretty awesome. Its a fairly large city, but feels small and intimate. There are tons of art museums and churches to explore, and Im having a really good time so far! Today I saw the Duomo, which was very large and Gothic, but the inside was not as impressive as it seemed like it would be. It just did not feel like a holy place like other ones do - Notre Dame and Chartres, for example, are swarming with tourists, but still have a sacred feel. There were a lot of interesting things to see though, like a Medici tomb and a bunch of statues and such.
Then I went to the Ambrosiano Museum, which has a truly stunning collection of art, including many da Vinci sketches from the Atlantic Codex, one of his portraits, part of the sketch of Raphaels "School of Athens", some Caravaggio, and Botticellis "Madonna of the Canopy". The latter was most impressive in person, besides the da Vinci sketches, though the Raphael was really cool too. The museum also has a library attached to it which I probably spent about 10 minutes just staring into, but its closed on the weekends.
I also saw the Basilica Ambrogio, Chieze Maria della Grazie and Basilica San Lorenzo. The first, Ambrogio, is Milans oldest church and is really, really intersting. It was started in the 5th century by Ambrose himself (eee!) and even has his remains! Which were kind of gross, as its his entire body still dressed in robes and somewhat preserved. It is bad to take pictures of dead saints? Anyway, its cool and Byzantine and Neoclassic at the same time, smallish, and has tons of hidden mosaics. It was probably my favorite church so far. When I was leaving a flock of nuns came in!
Da Vincis "Last Supper" is in a refectory connected to Chieze Maria della Grazie. I did not find out until I arrived in Milan that you need a reservation at least a week in advance to view the painting. Sad. So I didnt get to see it, but I took lots of pictures of the outside of the refectory (which is a cafeteria for monks - an appropriate place for the "Last Supper"), and the church itself was pretty cute, but weirdly decorated.
San Lorenzo was very impressive from the outside but rather disappointing on the inside. I left it and went into the small courtyard in front and sat and watched the punk kids for a while and tried not to laugh too much at the irony of Goth-punk kids hanging out in front of a church. Then I met a rather nice Italian boy who discussed Italian music with me for a while and then I left him - if he is to be believed, and he isnt - completely heartbroken.
And now Im here, and in a moment I will leave for dinner. Ciao!
Monday, April 21, 2008
study music
Since I get asked this often enough, I've made up a list of classical music I like to study by: I have a much bigger playlist, but these are my favorites. Maybe I'll do a list of non-classical later.
Durufle’s Requiem – Introit; Kyrie; Agnus Dei; Lux Aeterna; In Paradisum
Chopin – Nocturne in G minor, op. 15, no. 3; Nocturne in F minor; Nocturne for Orchestra; Waltz in A minor, op. 34, no. 2; Nocturne in C sharp minor, no. 20, Post – even better if arranged for violin and piano
Eric Whitacre – Five Hebrew Love Songs; October; Sing Me to Heaven; I Thank You God for This Most Amazing Day
Mozart – Ach, Ich Füssls (The Magic Flute); Overture, Canzonetta sull’aria, Dove Sono (The Marriage of Figaro)
Bach - Fürchte Dich Nicht, a motet
Saint-Saëns – Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah; Cello Concerto in A minor, op. 33, Allegro non troppo
Debussy – Nuages; 1st Arabesque for piano; Prélude à l’Après-Midi d’un Faune; Danses pour Harpe et Orchestre – Danse Sacrée
Fauré – Cantique de Jean Racine, op. 11; Pavane, op. 50
Tchaikovsky – Symphony Pathétique (no. 6), Finale, Andante
Samuel Barber – Agnus Dei
Verdi – Va, Pensiero (Nabucco) – actually that one distracts me a little
Bizet – Intermezzo, Carmen suite no. 1
11:57am [yesterday]: Awake and showered. I’m going to finish the articles and books from yesterday then head back to the library. It’s noon and almost 60 degrees! Good job,
12:26pm: Rain.
12:52pm: Just used the word “besmirch” in my notes not because it was in the text, but because I couldn’t think of a less pretentious word to use to summarize.
12:56pm: Temperature going down! Nooo!
1:04pm: Yes, this article is great! Just what I need AND argues with another article I have. Now I just need to find a way to say both Mayan and Aztec customs are relevant…
2:03pm: I just realized that if the photocopying machines in the library aren’t working, I’ll have to actually take out all the books I need and bring them home, even if it’s just for a few pages. It’s bad enough taking my laptop there, but if I’m also going to be hauling around 7-8 more books, I don’t think I can fit them all. I could take 2 bags, I guess. Or I could go to the library, print the articles I need, take out the books, and bring them all back to work on here. The problem with that is I would probably waste more time here. But then again, I do have consistent internet access. And then I could get enough food for today, too…hmm
4:42pm: Just got back from the library and found out I have a niece! Interesting. I got a bunch of books and a minimal amount of food (chips, juice, yogurt, granola bars) to last me from now until 3pm tomorrow, I hope.
6:19pm: Took a little eating/relaxing break, but now back to work. Starting to get a little worried.
6:45pm: I do love the cello immensely. If I drink a lot of water will it stop me from getting too hungry?
7:27pm: Old sources for this sort of thing are so weird. Very unPC but they clearly think they’re progressive. This one is describing the “physical types” of the natives and it’s slightly disconcerting. Also, I do not care about ancient weather conditions. Thanks.
7:38pm: “Miles states that Postclassic sculpture lacks artistic merit and shows strong foreign influence.” Harsh, Miles, harsh.
8:03pm: Getting restless with this stupid old book.
8:22pm: Done with it! Now for a light reading break.
8:45pm: And back to work.
9:35pm: mmph…getting a headache. But finally, some stuff to push against in this paper!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
3:09am: I really hate when I read an abstract of an article, or the intro or something, and it looks relevant, so I print it out...then it winds up not helping at all. Meh.
3:13am: And when it looks useful and legit, then turns out to be from 1942. Oh well, the novel was written in the 50's...that makes this article practically a primary source! Also, I just can't get enough of the Bacchanale
3:29am: So I know it's a lit paper and I don't actually need primary sources, but would it be acceptable to include both Las Casas' account of the Mexican conquest - from the 1500's - and an anthropologist's view of contemporary Mexican families at the time the novel was written - from the 1950's - as primary sources? My paper has to include both of these time periods to fully analyze how it's developed...hm
3:38am: Okay I know it's an article from the 1950's regarding family values, etc, and I know it's a sociological study, but, ew. I can't read it anymore. I'm not even a feminist and it makes me cringe every other word.
3:44am: Bedtime, I guess. I have 2 more articles from today to read and a few books to go through and I should be through with the factual history part of the paper. Hooray!
3:13am: And when it looks useful and legit, then turns out to be from 1942. Oh well, the novel was written in the 50's...that makes this article practically a primary source! Also, I just can't get enough of the Bacchanale
3:29am: So I know it's a lit paper and I don't actually need primary sources, but would it be acceptable to include both Las Casas' account of the Mexican conquest - from the 1500's - and an anthropologist's view of contemporary Mexican families at the time the novel was written - from the 1950's - as primary sources? My paper has to include both of these time periods to fully analyze how it's developed...hm
3:38am: Okay I know it's an article from the 1950's regarding family values, etc, and I know it's a sociological study, but, ew. I can't read it anymore. I'm not even a feminist and it makes me cringe every other word.
3:44am: Bedtime, I guess. I have 2 more articles from today to read and a few books to go through and I should be through with the factual history part of the paper. Hooray!
not-quite live blogging my paper
Two things: I've realized that when I have papers, finals, etc to work on I eat whatever I want whenever I feel like it. When my mom sends me finals cookies, I take an amount set aside for me and inevitably wind up eating them around 2am, when I start getting hungry. I just finished eating a snack of peanut butter, crackers, and a granola bar. But I could just as easily have done with a chicken caesar wrap from the campus store.. It reminds me of how my [former]roommate and I have a rule that after 11pm, no one is hungry, they're always just thirsty.
Why is it so much cooler to put terms in French? Someone asked me this last semester when Zenon insisted on saying mentalité instead of mentality, and now I'm reading an article where the author differentiates between "materials" and matériels.
Why is it so much cooler to put terms in French? Someone asked me this last semester when Zenon insisted on saying mentalité instead of mentality, and now I'm reading an article where the author differentiates between "materials" and matériels.
library time again
There’s something relaxing about sitting in a library, surrounded by books, going through them, reading bits and pieces, and listening to music. I should be really stressed out right now – I don’t have anything written and little research done – but I’m not. I faced much worse than this at the end of last semester. I’m listening to the “Lux Aeterna” movement of Duruflé’s Requiem taking a little break from reading native accounts of the conquest of
I suppose I sound a little crazy saying I don’t mind doing this sort of work while I have
The AUP library is not that great: it’s only 3 floors, has very few computers and even fewer places to plug in laptops. The catalog isn’t very extensive and I could find very little on what I was looking for. Also my computer won’t connect to the AUP wireless; I’ll have to deal with that tomorrow when I have more time. I’m writing this in Word right now and will post it when I get home to my wireless. There are no closed-off little alcoves where I can sit out of view of passersby and spread out my books, like there are in the
Those were the places where, at the end of last semester, everyone hung out in a giant group to write papers, research, and provide moral support. Distracted as we were when we were together, it was helpful…mostly it helped to keep us sane, I think. But everyone also bonded quickly and easily (I don’t know if Priyam still reads this, but I hardly even knew her before finals last semester and now she’s one of my very favorites!), and we all had a good time.
I find myself wondering if they’re all doing that this semester – right around now, actually. Maybe it will start in a couple of weeks. And if they do, I wonder if they will miss those of us who left – I think three of us who were regulars in the Library/History Club are abroad this semester. There are some replacements, I understand, but I can’t imagine they’re cooler the originals :)
Anyway, it would be nice to have you guys around at the moment even though I have nothing near the finals load of last semester: I just have this paper, due Monday, a final essay exam in 3 weeks, and then my French final. But just to let you all know I’m thinking about you!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
plans for italy
In other news, it's spring break at the Sorbonne! I have that large research paper for AUP due Monday, but after that I'm practically free for two weeks. I'll be leaving for Italy next Friday and going to Milan, Bologna, Ravenna, Ferrara and Venice. When most students go on spring break to Italy their main objective is going to beaches, visiting the Colosseum, or riding around the countryside on a Vespa. I, however, have entirely different intentions, and this is why I am going alone. (No one freak out here - it's okay. I consider myself a fairly seasoned traveler at this point and am perfectly capable of looking after myself.) I'm sure I could've found people to come with me to Milan, Venice, probably even Bologna, but it would not turn out to be at all the kind of trip I've been wanting. So here's a rundown of what I plan to do in each city - and anyone who knows Tempesta can blame all this on him, as his descriptions are what made me want to see these places.
Milan - Far from going to loads of fashion shows (although that would be cool, it's not a priority) I will be hitting the main points of interest for historians and artists. My main reasons for going here are that it was (along with Ferrara) the main base for the Sforza family during the Renaissance (so there is an incredible palazzo there), there's a ton of Da Vinci stuff there (including the Last Supper and a library full of his sketches), and La Scala, the Milan opera. I probably won't get to see an opera, but I will certainly tour the house and hang around before/after one. There are also a ton of interesting churches, and I hope to find a mass with Ambrosian chant (as opposed to Gregorian, but I won't get into that). Here's a pic of the sort of ridiculous cathedral, the Duomo, started in 1386 (2nd largest Gothic cathedral in the world, 2nd biggest in Italy only after St. Peter's, 2nd highest - poor Milan):
Bologna - Home to the oldest university in Europe (yes, older than Oxford - this was founded in 1088) and the alumni alone make it a worthy trip for any intellectual: Dante, Petrarch, Thomas Becket, Erasmus and Copernicus all went to the University of Bologna. There are many castles and tons of churches/basilicas for me to geek out on. Also the site of the legendary Guelph/Ghibelline struggles.
Ravenna - Oh, what can I say about Ravenna? So few people have heard of it, and yet it was once the capital of the Western Roman Empire (Justinian moved it there. And everyone knows my deep affection for that inventor of stairs, electricity, and everything). In this very small town there are no less than 8 World Heritage sites, all of them churches/mausoleums/basilicas. It has by far and away the best collection of Byzantine mosaics in the world; they are absolutely incredible. Anyone with an interest in art needs to see them. Dante is buried there.
Ferrara - While not that well-known, anyone who has heard about Italian politics or the Renaissance knows Ferrara. It is the quintessential Renaissance own, with large ducal palaces, squares, and great art. It was the seat of the Sforza family, who were second only the Medicis in terms of art patronage and political power. It is still a walled city and has the feel of that time. Also Lucrezia Borgia is buried there, and I've always had a soft spot for her.
Venice - Okay, this one I don't need to explain much. Canals, Venetian glass, San Marco square...yeah. Also has an incredible early instruments museum.
So looking at my outline I'm sure it's evident why I don't want people with me: who would want to do all the history/art stuff when there's Italian sun to be had? Well, I don't intend to miss out the sun, but this trip is a nerd's fantasy come true.
Milan - Far from going to loads of fashion shows (although that would be cool, it's not a priority) I will be hitting the main points of interest for historians and artists. My main reasons for going here are that it was (along with Ferrara) the main base for the Sforza family during the Renaissance (so there is an incredible palazzo there), there's a ton of Da Vinci stuff there (including the Last Supper and a library full of his sketches), and La Scala, the Milan opera. I probably won't get to see an opera, but I will certainly tour the house and hang around before/after one. There are also a ton of interesting churches, and I hope to find a mass with Ambrosian chant (as opposed to Gregorian, but I won't get into that). Here's a pic of the sort of ridiculous cathedral, the Duomo, started in 1386 (2nd largest Gothic cathedral in the world, 2nd biggest in Italy only after St. Peter's, 2nd highest - poor Milan):
Bologna - Home to the oldest university in Europe (yes, older than Oxford - this was founded in 1088) and the alumni alone make it a worthy trip for any intellectual: Dante, Petrarch, Thomas Becket, Erasmus and Copernicus all went to the University of Bologna. There are many castles and tons of churches/basilicas for me to geek out on. Also the site of the legendary Guelph/Ghibelline struggles.Ravenna - Oh, what can I say about Ravenna? So few people have heard of it, and yet it was once the capital of the Western Roman Empire (Justinian moved it there. And everyone knows my deep affection for that inventor of stairs, electricity, and everything). In this very small town there are no less than 8 World Heritage sites, all of them churches/mausoleums/basilicas. It has by far and away the best collection of Byzantine mosaics in the world; they are absolutely incredible. Anyone with an interest in art needs to see them. Dante is buried there.
Ferrara - While not that well-known, anyone who has heard about Italian politics or the Renaissance knows Ferrara. It is the quintessential Renaissance own, with large ducal palaces, squares, and great art. It was the seat of the Sforza family, who were second only the Medicis in terms of art patronage and political power. It is still a walled city and has the feel of that time. Also Lucrezia Borgia is buried there, and I've always had a soft spot for her.
Venice - Okay, this one I don't need to explain much. Canals, Venetian glass, San Marco square...yeah. Also has an incredible early instruments museum.
So looking at my outline I'm sure it's evident why I don't want people with me: who would want to do all the history/art stuff when there's Italian sun to be had? Well, I don't intend to miss out the sun, but this trip is a nerd's fantasy come true.
springtime in paris?
Is a dirty lie. Sure, everyone says Paris is beautiful in the spring, there are many gardens to walk around, and how easy is it to picture French people in berets strolling down the Champs Elysees while everything around them blooms? Well, I've come to the conclusion it's all a big conspiracy: springtime like that does not exist in Paris. In fact, Paris weather is only marginally better than London weather, and everyone knows what a reputation (and it's well-deserved) London has.
The only nice thing about Paris weather in the spring is there are lots of chances to see rainbows. It changes so quickly between rain and sun here that I've seen several in the past couple of weeks.
What else is going on...not much. I haven't been sleeping well. I'm notorious for how restless I am when I sleep, and it's not unusual for me to completely undo the sheets, pillows, and blankets on my bed and even wriggle out of clothes; today I woke up and my comforter was entirely out of the duvet cover, something I've never managed to do before. Sometimes I wonder if I do things like that on purpose while I'm sleeping. Hmm.
I also bought my first junk food. That's right - I have not bought junk food of any sort since I've been here (as real food is generally cheaper and more delicious) but yesterday I picked up a can of Pringles. I'm a little ashamed, but they're so yummy. The packaging makes me wonder, though, what is normally in potato chips that they feel the need to declare on the package that these are "suitable for vegetarians"?
The only nice thing about Paris weather in the spring is there are lots of chances to see rainbows. It changes so quickly between rain and sun here that I've seen several in the past couple of weeks.
What else is going on...not much. I haven't been sleeping well. I'm notorious for how restless I am when I sleep, and it's not unusual for me to completely undo the sheets, pillows, and blankets on my bed and even wriggle out of clothes; today I woke up and my comforter was entirely out of the duvet cover, something I've never managed to do before. Sometimes I wonder if I do things like that on purpose while I'm sleeping. Hmm.
I also bought my first junk food. That's right - I have not bought junk food of any sort since I've been here (as real food is generally cheaper and more delicious) but yesterday I picked up a can of Pringles. I'm a little ashamed, but they're so yummy. The packaging makes me wonder, though, what is normally in potato chips that they feel the need to declare on the package that these are "suitable for vegetarians"?
Friday, April 18, 2008
orleans
Okay, so my mother and I spent last Saturday in Chartres, and by the time we left it was pouring and super windy. Luckily for us we got to leave. We had higher hopes for the next day in Orleans, and Paris looked benign enough that morning.
But as soon as we got out of the train in Orleans it began pouring again. And Orleans apparently has some sort of strict rule that nothing useful be open before 2pm (or ever) on a Sunday. I don't actually know if that's true, but I suspect it is.
We were very cold and wet and spent a good deal of the day wandering around trying to find cafes where we could get warm. It did not stop us from going to nearly all of the town's sites, though, even if most were not open. First we tried to go to an old church [not the famous one, another] but it was having mass. On our way back it was actually closed. I have only ever seen a closed Catholic church once in France, and that was earlier in my mom's visit, when La Madeleine was mysteriously closed on a Thursday.
Then we made our way to the church of Ste Croix, the famous one in Orleans. For those who might not know, Orleans main claim to fame is that Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc - aka "the Maid of Orleans") was from that area and it was the city of Orleans that she tried to save when she led the armies against the English. Before going into battle she came here, to Ste Croix, to pray. So the whole town is filled with monuments and museums dedicated to her. Here is the church:
In front of it is a memorial to Jeanne that I really liked. It's a stone block, the front has a relief of her tied to the stake and the sides have a quote and an epitaph: "Elle n’avait passé ses humbles dix neuf ans que de quatre à cinq mois et sa cendre charnelle fût dispersée au vent." ("She didn't even have a humble 19 years, but for four or five months, and her body's ashes were scattered in the wind." Sorry that was sort of bad, but you get the idea. Mom, Emily, someone, feel free to post a better translation in the comments.)
The church is really bright, delicate and pretty inside. It's full of 19th century stained glass, which is really different from medieval glass.
But it was so cold inside that I resorted to warming my hands by the offering candles:
Nothing in Orleans even thinks about opening until 2, so we walked around in vain looking for a tea shop. The town itself is very quirky and medieval, but they really need to stop sleeping in so much on Sundays.
We went to the Museum of Fine Arts, which was nice, the archaeological museum of the area, and the house Jeanne d'Arc stayed in while there. I think it would be a really nice town to visit another time..you know, when it's alive. It's fine to see it from the outside, but there was so much more we wanted to do!
But as soon as we got out of the train in Orleans it began pouring again. And Orleans apparently has some sort of strict rule that nothing useful be open before 2pm (or ever) on a Sunday. I don't actually know if that's true, but I suspect it is.
We were very cold and wet and spent a good deal of the day wandering around trying to find cafes where we could get warm. It did not stop us from going to nearly all of the town's sites, though, even if most were not open. First we tried to go to an old church [not the famous one, another] but it was having mass. On our way back it was actually closed. I have only ever seen a closed Catholic church once in France, and that was earlier in my mom's visit, when La Madeleine was mysteriously closed on a Thursday.
Then we made our way to the church of Ste Croix, the famous one in Orleans. For those who might not know, Orleans main claim to fame is that Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc - aka "the Maid of Orleans") was from that area and it was the city of Orleans that she tried to save when she led the armies against the English. Before going into battle she came here, to Ste Croix, to pray. So the whole town is filled with monuments and museums dedicated to her. Here is the church:
In front of it is a memorial to Jeanne that I really liked. It's a stone block, the front has a relief of her tied to the stake and the sides have a quote and an epitaph: "Elle n’avait passé ses humbles dix neuf ans que de quatre à cinq mois et sa cendre charnelle fût dispersée au vent." ("She didn't even have a humble 19 years, but for four or five months, and her body's ashes were scattered in the wind." Sorry that was sort of bad, but you get the idea. Mom, Emily, someone, feel free to post a better translation in the comments.)The church is really bright, delicate and pretty inside. It's full of 19th century stained glass, which is really different from medieval glass.
But it was so cold inside that I resorted to warming my hands by the offering candles:
Nothing in Orleans even thinks about opening until 2, so we walked around in vain looking for a tea shop. The town itself is very quirky and medieval, but they really need to stop sleeping in so much on Sundays.We went to the Museum of Fine Arts, which was nice, the archaeological museum of the area, and the house Jeanne d'Arc stayed in while there. I think it would be a really nice town to visit another time..you know, when it's alive. It's fine to see it from the outside, but there was so much more we wanted to do!
new pics
added to the previous 2 entries. I still have to bother my mother for some of the inside of Chartres, though.
Just for giggles, here's Marie Antoinette's grave (she's the middle on the left):
Just for giggles, here's Marie Antoinette's grave (she's the middle on the left):
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
chartres
There isn't much to do in Chartres besides the cathedral and attractions surrounding it. But of course, those are amazing enough to make me want to go back if I can. It was absolutely incredible and so I'm warning you now that means I will wax historical in this entry. If you want some more info on it here is the Wikipedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Chartres
The town of Chartres stands on what was a sacred Celtic site thousands of years ago; the forests there were used in all kinds of druidic ceremonies. The divinity worshiped there was most likely feminine, and so to convert the population more easily, early Christian missionaries in this area focused on the Virgin Mary more than usual, rather than work more to get the Celts to worship a masculine god. To this day, Mary's presence is felt much more than even than Jesus: the cathedral is "Our Lady of Chartres", and nearly all the famed stained glass and statuary there is about the life and Assumption of Mary. Interestingly, researches realized this connection when they noted that a very early (8th century?) statue of Mary had her eyes closed; this was extremely unusual for the time, but they figured out this was because the original female deity was often depicted with her eyes closed.
The Chartres cathedral has been a site of pilgrimage since the 9th century because it supposedly houses part of the "Sancta Camisia", a tunic that Mary wore. That church burned and the current one was started in 1145, but part of that burned too, so most of it was actually begun in 1195, making the cathedral part Romanesque but mostly early Gothic. It is huge and breathtaking...it's really amazing to step inside.
Going through the door, out of reach of the light grey, cloudy sky, your eyes take several seconds to adjust to the darkness. The first thing I saw was just the vastness of the building, and how open and airy it all seemed, while at the same time it was very imposing. Then I saw the colors shining dimly through the stained glass, then the Neo-classical carved alterpiece and choir screen.
We both got audio tours that were quite interesting, but I was sad we missed the English tour that day: the guy who does them is apparently a foremost authority on Gothic architecture and a great guide. Anyway, inside the cathedral there are several famous pieces: the labyrinth on the floor (many old cathedrals made labyrinth patterns in the floor stones to represent the mysterious path of life), the Black Virgin carved wooden statue, the choir screen, but above all, the stained glass. It is beautiful, and the more you think about it the more astonishing it is that people created it so perfectly.
Here is a picture of the Blue Virgin, though it does no justice to the famous "Chartres blue" color that is found in the glass there...it's so pretty and intense.
As my mother pointed out, today we have the capacity to compare the colors at Chartres with things we see, such as computer-generated images. The colors are seem almost super-saturated they are so intense, and I can only imagine them as something technology could create. But these windows were made about 900 years ago, when no one could picture images like this anywhere but a window. This was literally one of the only places in the world one could go to see something like it.
Outside, of course, the cathedral is carved and decorated in typical Gothic allegory style. It's not as frilly in terms of architecture, but it is covered in stories. Seeing the Christ in Majesty in person was amazing - it's the scene in the middle portal (above the door) of the entrance, and THE example of Gothic decoration, just as Chartres itself is THE example of Gothic architecture.
I took a tour of the crypt (which is not actually a crypt, but the remains of the original church and the site the cathedral was built on) in French, and was proud of myself that I never had to look at the translation. It was cool, but not as fascinating as the cathedral itself. There was a 10th century frieze of Mary and a well where the Vikings used to throw their victims' bodies.
The weather was kind of crappy when we went, but appropriate. The next day in Orleans was much worse...(since we got a rainbow at the end of Chartres!)
The town of Chartres stands on what was a sacred Celtic site thousands of years ago; the forests there were used in all kinds of druidic ceremonies. The divinity worshiped there was most likely feminine, and so to convert the population more easily, early Christian missionaries in this area focused on the Virgin Mary more than usual, rather than work more to get the Celts to worship a masculine god. To this day, Mary's presence is felt much more than even than Jesus: the cathedral is "Our Lady of Chartres", and nearly all the famed stained glass and statuary there is about the life and Assumption of Mary. Interestingly, researches realized this connection when they noted that a very early (8th century?) statue of Mary had her eyes closed; this was extremely unusual for the time, but they figured out this was because the original female deity was often depicted with her eyes closed.
The Chartres cathedral has been a site of pilgrimage since the 9th century because it supposedly houses part of the "Sancta Camisia", a tunic that Mary wore. That church burned and the current one was started in 1145, but part of that burned too, so most of it was actually begun in 1195, making the cathedral part Romanesque but mostly early Gothic. It is huge and breathtaking...it's really amazing to step inside.
Going through the door, out of reach of the light grey, cloudy sky, your eyes take several seconds to adjust to the darkness. The first thing I saw was just the vastness of the building, and how open and airy it all seemed, while at the same time it was very imposing. Then I saw the colors shining dimly through the stained glass, then the Neo-classical carved alterpiece and choir screen.
We both got audio tours that were quite interesting, but I was sad we missed the English tour that day: the guy who does them is apparently a foremost authority on Gothic architecture and a great guide. Anyway, inside the cathedral there are several famous pieces: the labyrinth on the floor (many old cathedrals made labyrinth patterns in the floor stones to represent the mysterious path of life), the Black Virgin carved wooden statue, the choir screen, but above all, the stained glass. It is beautiful, and the more you think about it the more astonishing it is that people created it so perfectly.
Here is a picture of the Blue Virgin, though it does no justice to the famous "Chartres blue" color that is found in the glass there...it's so pretty and intense.
As my mother pointed out, today we have the capacity to compare the colors at Chartres with things we see, such as computer-generated images. The colors are seem almost super-saturated they are so intense, and I can only imagine them as something technology could create. But these windows were made about 900 years ago, when no one could picture images like this anywhere but a window. This was literally one of the only places in the world one could go to see something like it.
Outside, of course, the cathedral is carved and decorated in typical Gothic allegory style. It's not as frilly in terms of architecture, but it is covered in stories. Seeing the Christ in Majesty in person was amazing - it's the scene in the middle portal (above the door) of the entrance, and THE example of Gothic decoration, just as Chartres itself is THE example of Gothic architecture.
I took a tour of the crypt (which is not actually a crypt, but the remains of the original church and the site the cathedral was built on) in French, and was proud of myself that I never had to look at the translation. It was cool, but not as fascinating as the cathedral itself. There was a 10th century frieze of Mary and a well where the Vikings used to throw their victims' bodies.
The weather was kind of crappy when we went, but appropriate. The next day in Orleans was much worse...(since we got a rainbow at the end of Chartres!)
my first visitor
My mother was here last week from Weds on, and so I spent a good deal of the time wandering around Paris and the Ile-de-France. Over the weekend we went to Chartres and Orleans but I didn't take my camera since hers is so much better. When I get the pics from her I will put them up here.
While she was in Paris we mostly walked around interesting areas like the Rue de Rivoli (sort of like Paris' Broadway, except fewer theaters and generally a bit classier), the Marais, St. Michel, the Champs-Elysees area, and of course where I live. She found an awesome gargoyle, probably my favorite one she has - she collects them. It's large and heavy and it's a little squatting dragon that's sticking out its tongue. So cute!
I spent a little while worrying about my term paper for Latin American Lit, but my professor decided to push the whole thing back until Monday! Life is good.
The weather was generally bad, but it is gorgeous today. Figures. Out my window the skies are blue with big puffy clouds and it is sunny; three or four days ago, while my mom was here, there was a violent hailstorm.
Hm, what else? I mostly took advantage of her visit to eat good food: I got desserts, some groceries and tried Ethiopian food! Multiple attempts were made to get to Monoprix but it never worked out. Why does everything close so early?! She also bought me a pretty scarf, a necklace and some harp strings for Isabelle, my new/old harp. We saw a slightly underwhelming exhibit in the Petit Palais on Goya's days as an engraver (here's the palais)
and I showed her some of my favorite churches. Such as St Denis (which I've already posted some pics of):
and Ste Clothilde:
Though we didn't do a whole lot in Paris, it's nice to wander around with someone who appreciates the city as much as I do, even after having been here a handful of times. There's so much to love here even aside from the regular tourist sites; just the atmosphere and lifestyle is perfect for me and so intoxicating (well, except the whole closing early thing).
While she was in Paris we mostly walked around interesting areas like the Rue de Rivoli (sort of like Paris' Broadway, except fewer theaters and generally a bit classier), the Marais, St. Michel, the Champs-Elysees area, and of course where I live. She found an awesome gargoyle, probably my favorite one she has - she collects them. It's large and heavy and it's a little squatting dragon that's sticking out its tongue. So cute!
I spent a little while worrying about my term paper for Latin American Lit, but my professor decided to push the whole thing back until Monday! Life is good.
The weather was generally bad, but it is gorgeous today. Figures. Out my window the skies are blue with big puffy clouds and it is sunny; three or four days ago, while my mom was here, there was a violent hailstorm.
Hm, what else? I mostly took advantage of her visit to eat good food: I got desserts, some groceries and tried Ethiopian food! Multiple attempts were made to get to Monoprix but it never worked out. Why does everything close so early?! She also bought me a pretty scarf, a necklace and some harp strings for Isabelle, my new/old harp. We saw a slightly underwhelming exhibit in the Petit Palais on Goya's days as an engraver (here's the palais)
and I showed her some of my favorite churches. Such as St Denis (which I've already posted some pics of):
and Ste Clothilde:
Though we didn't do a whole lot in Paris, it's nice to wander around with someone who appreciates the city as much as I do, even after having been here a handful of times. There's so much to love here even aside from the regular tourist sites; just the atmosphere and lifestyle is perfect for me and so intoxicating (well, except the whole closing early thing).
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
olympic torch
I thought I'd address this, since a lot of people have asked.
I was in class during most of the protesting of the Olympic torch, so I did not actually get to see what when on when it passed. Coming out of my second class, though, I did see a fair amount of people who were clearly coming from the demonstration: one woman, for example, was dressed entirely in Tibetan flags (in the U.S. she would be guilty of disrespecting the flag like 6 times over) and carried one on a pole. Police were more present in the streets than usual, particularly around my AUP class, which is just across the river from where the torch passed.
The thing is, it's the beginning of protest season in France. This sort of thing is really not unusual in Paris, so most people haven't been discussing it. This demonstration was a given; everyone knew there would be a big thing surrounding it. The police, reporters, and spectators were prepared, and most of the protesters did it for attention rather than the traditional rioting for action. Though I must admit it was cool that people went up the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and the Tour Eiffel to put up flags. It was a larger scale, and more active, version of the types of protests one might see in NYC or California or something.
A slightly more annoying and confusing manif[estation, or protest/demonstration thing] that has been going on is one by high schoolers the past week or so. Apparently a law recently passed that cut some funding for public high schools, and the students have taken to the streets. Their travel-between-demonstration-sites time is, unfortunately, right when I'm coming home from my Sorbonne class. And of course any good Parisian student protester knows they must demonstrate in the Place St Michel, where the violent student protests of the '60's were held.
So just as I am getting on the RER to go home, a crowd of 100+ screaming high school kids floods the train, pushing everyone into/out of it and generally acting like a bunch of idiots. They yell not slogans or catch phrases or anything like that...but they just yell. Without words, just noise. For no reason. Their adrenaline gets going and they bust the lights on the train. They occasionally will shriek something like "down with Sarkozy!" But they're not really doing anything. They don't hold their signs high, they don't tell anyone what they're fighting against. I thought all French had an innate sense of revolution, but apparently they need to be taught to do it right; this is not doing it right.
All of these times I have been going home with my friend, who is a formidable 6'3" and extremely irritable as he's trying to quit smoking. While I am a small girl who easily is pushed into the flood of what he calls "the infants", he often threatens to throw them in front of the trains if they touch him. He has a clear accent and his makes them jeer at him..which only makes him more angry. He almost got into a fight with several, but then a bunch of the girls realized he's a fairly good-looking kid and started making eyes at him instead. And of course since he tries to help me stay put - often by grabbing my hand or arm or something so I don't get swept away - they thought I was his girlfriend, and gave me dirty looks.
Their quick preoccupation with some random angry 20 year old shows how weak their protesting really is. Come on, older generation of Frenchies, can't you teach your kids how to do it right?
I was in class during most of the protesting of the Olympic torch, so I did not actually get to see what when on when it passed. Coming out of my second class, though, I did see a fair amount of people who were clearly coming from the demonstration: one woman, for example, was dressed entirely in Tibetan flags (in the U.S. she would be guilty of disrespecting the flag like 6 times over) and carried one on a pole. Police were more present in the streets than usual, particularly around my AUP class, which is just across the river from where the torch passed.
The thing is, it's the beginning of protest season in France. This sort of thing is really not unusual in Paris, so most people haven't been discussing it. This demonstration was a given; everyone knew there would be a big thing surrounding it. The police, reporters, and spectators were prepared, and most of the protesters did it for attention rather than the traditional rioting for action. Though I must admit it was cool that people went up the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and the Tour Eiffel to put up flags. It was a larger scale, and more active, version of the types of protests one might see in NYC or California or something.
A slightly more annoying and confusing manif[estation, or protest/demonstration thing] that has been going on is one by high schoolers the past week or so. Apparently a law recently passed that cut some funding for public high schools, and the students have taken to the streets. Their travel-between-demonstration-sites time is, unfortunately, right when I'm coming home from my Sorbonne class. And of course any good Parisian student protester knows they must demonstrate in the Place St Michel, where the violent student protests of the '60's were held.
So just as I am getting on the RER to go home, a crowd of 100+ screaming high school kids floods the train, pushing everyone into/out of it and generally acting like a bunch of idiots. They yell not slogans or catch phrases or anything like that...but they just yell. Without words, just noise. For no reason. Their adrenaline gets going and they bust the lights on the train. They occasionally will shriek something like "down with Sarkozy!" But they're not really doing anything. They don't hold their signs high, they don't tell anyone what they're fighting against. I thought all French had an innate sense of revolution, but apparently they need to be taught to do it right; this is not doing it right.
All of these times I have been going home with my friend, who is a formidable 6'3" and extremely irritable as he's trying to quit smoking. While I am a small girl who easily is pushed into the flood of what he calls "the infants", he often threatens to throw them in front of the trains if they touch him. He has a clear accent and his makes them jeer at him..which only makes him more angry. He almost got into a fight with several, but then a bunch of the girls realized he's a fairly good-looking kid and started making eyes at him instead. And of course since he tries to help me stay put - often by grabbing my hand or arm or something so I don't get swept away - they thought I was his girlfriend, and gave me dirty looks.
Their quick preoccupation with some random angry 20 year old shows how weak their protesting really is. Come on, older generation of Frenchies, can't you teach your kids how to do it right?
il y avait une fois...
Once upon a time, a French nobleman decided he wanted to get married. There were three peasant girls in the village who appealed to him, but he couldn't choose between them. He thought about the dilemma for a while, and eventually came up with the bright idea of having them all over for dinner one night so that he could compare them all at the same time.
He had his servants prepare a fabulous feast with many courses, including, of course, one of cheese. One girl carefully cut off all the croûtes (crust, or the rind/mold/other stuff around the outside of some cheeses) of her cheese, making sure not to leave a bit of it. The next girl ate all of the cheese given to her, croûtes and all. The final girl cut off some but did not worry herself with how much was left.
At the end of the meal, the nobleman declared he had chosen the final girl. The first one, he said, was wasteful and would use up all of his money. The second was greedy. But the last one comported herself as a respectable lady, not being overly concerned with the cheese, but rather with the meal as a whole.
I asked Catherine how people know what croûtes to cut off and which to eat. Apparently it's a matter of taste a lot of the time, but if the croûtes are particularly hard people generally cut them off.
He had his servants prepare a fabulous feast with many courses, including, of course, one of cheese. One girl carefully cut off all the croûtes (crust, or the rind/mold/other stuff around the outside of some cheeses) of her cheese, making sure not to leave a bit of it. The next girl ate all of the cheese given to her, croûtes and all. The final girl cut off some but did not worry herself with how much was left.
At the end of the meal, the nobleman declared he had chosen the final girl. The first one, he said, was wasteful and would use up all of his money. The second was greedy. But the last one comported herself as a respectable lady, not being overly concerned with the cheese, but rather with the meal as a whole.
I asked Catherine how people know what croûtes to cut off and which to eat. Apparently it's a matter of taste a lot of the time, but if the croûtes are particularly hard people generally cut them off.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
really trying to not call this entry "london calling": fail
Okay, so I've been really bad with updating recently. I've been traveling a lot and when I'm here in Paris I have to catch up on what I missed while traveling.
I went to London this past weekend, and it was definitely the most relaxing trip I've taken yet; I saw a friend from Ithaca and we pretty much just hung out all weekend, didn't really do touristy things and were not on a schedule. I got my sushi and Thai food fixes, two things I have been craving for weeks. We saw a really good show on the West End called "The Woman in Black": it was a horror/suspense type of drama, and very well-done. The cast was really just two men, the set was simple and versatile, and the story was exciting. At a few points, audience members actually screamed.
The show also had the most entertaining intermission I've ever experienced, but only because I am a bad person. There was a school group (I think?) of middle to early high school age kids that were possibly Welsh, but I suspect it was a boarding school from different areas. Several had chav accents, some Welsh, and some just weird. A disproportionate amount of them wore bemusing and unflattering outfits and did strange things. Nearly all also had heaps of unnecessary hair in extreme bedhead-type styles. Anyway, they were enormously entertaining to watch, but there were also the people behind us loudly asking one another about herpes, the kid in the silver blazer and matching pants in front, and to the side a man with crazily gelled hair and a very pointy goatee. I'm not doing this any justice, but the whole sequence of the intermission I kept thinking it couldn't get any more ridiculous, but of course it did.
My friend and I also went to the National Portrait Gallery for her art class and walked around the Tower of London in the very cold rain on Saturday, and strolled around the city for one of the nicest days I've ever experienced in London on Sunday. We looked at the art sellers outside Kensington and walked around Hyde Park. Then came several misadventures I'm not sure I want to go into now, but in general the weekend was great. The only touristy pics I took were of the Royal Albert Hall because I don't think I've ever taken pics of it before:
I'm still working on the pics from my Eastern European adventures, but don't worry, they're coming.
I went to London this past weekend, and it was definitely the most relaxing trip I've taken yet; I saw a friend from Ithaca and we pretty much just hung out all weekend, didn't really do touristy things and were not on a schedule. I got my sushi and Thai food fixes, two things I have been craving for weeks. We saw a really good show on the West End called "The Woman in Black": it was a horror/suspense type of drama, and very well-done. The cast was really just two men, the set was simple and versatile, and the story was exciting. At a few points, audience members actually screamed.
The show also had the most entertaining intermission I've ever experienced, but only because I am a bad person. There was a school group (I think?) of middle to early high school age kids that were possibly Welsh, but I suspect it was a boarding school from different areas. Several had chav accents, some Welsh, and some just weird. A disproportionate amount of them wore bemusing and unflattering outfits and did strange things. Nearly all also had heaps of unnecessary hair in extreme bedhead-type styles. Anyway, they were enormously entertaining to watch, but there were also the people behind us loudly asking one another about herpes, the kid in the silver blazer and matching pants in front, and to the side a man with crazily gelled hair and a very pointy goatee. I'm not doing this any justice, but the whole sequence of the intermission I kept thinking it couldn't get any more ridiculous, but of course it did.
My friend and I also went to the National Portrait Gallery for her art class and walked around the Tower of London in the very cold rain on Saturday, and strolled around the city for one of the nicest days I've ever experienced in London on Sunday. We looked at the art sellers outside Kensington and walked around Hyde Park. Then came several misadventures I'm not sure I want to go into now, but in general the weekend was great. The only touristy pics I took were of the Royal Albert Hall because I don't think I've ever taken pics of it before:
I'm still working on the pics from my Eastern European adventures, but don't worry, they're coming.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)