Berlin surpassed expectations. I think Leah summed it up best when she said "I pictured Berlin in black and white," but instead we found a vibrant city, particularly brought to life with the bright and beautiful fall leaves. After studying Hitler's cruel persecution and the sad realities of the Communist GDR, it was hard to imagine Berlin as such a beautiful city, but it was. I loved getting to see the Brandenburg Gate, the Stasi, DDR, and Checkpoint Charlie Museums, as well as standing beside a portion of the Berlin wall and visiting the Holocaust memorial. I also visited the Reichstag (German parliament building), several cathedrals including climbing to the top of the Berlin Cathedral, and the Victory Memorial. So much history packed in to just a few days.
With Cameron in front of the Victory Memorial.
Brandenburg Gate.
Colorful fall leaves and an ironic protest in Berlin.
Furman girls and the Berlin Wall.
Top of the Berlin Cathedral with Leah, Cameron, and Sey.
Berlin Cathedral with Cameron and Sara Beth.
I can say with certainty that we packed it in Italy. And by that I mean we packed in the sights, as well as at least two servings of gelato a day!
Rome was a whirlwind, but it was incredible. So much culture! The first day we spent almost entirely at the Vatican. We spent the morning at the the Pope's Wednesday morning address and then toured St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museum, and the Sistine Chapel. That night we ventured to Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. The next day we trekked all across the city beginning with a visit to San Giovanni Cathedral and the surrounding markets before heading off to the Colosseum and Roman Forum. I don't think I can even fully wrap my head around how ancient the ruins were. Still the visit to the Colosseum was particularly great, Sara Beth and I were able to discuss the serious gravity of the persecution that went on and the great history held in the ruins. After a long but scenic walk along the river we had a delicious lunch in Trastevere before going to the Pantheon. We spent the evening in Piazza Novona, surrounded by artists and of course more delicious gelato.
St. Peter's Square and the Sistine Chapel.
Pope Benedict!
Colosseum with Sara Beth.
Pantheon.
Hanging out by the Pantheon with Adair.
Friday morning we woke up early, grabbed some delicious croissants from our friendly hostel man, and set off for Florence. While Rome may be packed with culture, Florence was packed with beauty. The first day we went to both the Uffizi and the Accademia museums. The Accademia was by far my favorite! There was a special Bartolini exhibit that was absolutely incredible. I have a new appreciation for sculptors, how these artists form figures and capture facial expressions out of marble seriously blows my mind. And I can't even begin to put into words how beautiful it was to see Michelangelo's David. Suffice it to say, Sara Beth, Anna, Adair, and I literally just sat and admired the statue for almost an hour. The rest of the evening was spent wandering through leather markets and enjoying delicious Italian cuisine. The next day was even more relaxed. Sara Beth, Adair, and I went to both the Duomo and St. Maria Novella Cathedrals as well as a long walk to Piazzale Michelangelo for a gorgeous sunset view of Florence. We also visited the monastery up there and could hear the monks chanting. Such a cool walk up, lined with crosses for each of the Station's of the Cross. We ended the night with another wonderful Italian meal of rigatoni, bruchetta, and chianti at a big oval table under twinkling lights at Cantina della Giostra.
Duomo and Italian Cuisine in Florence (obsessed with the dishes at Gobbi 13).
Orphan Family Photo from Ponte Vecchio.
Pretty city views from Piazzale Michelangelo.
This entire semester is the trip of a lifetime, but this past week was certainly the fall break of a life time.
It was incredible.
Ciao!
No comments:
Post a Comment