How do you sum up five days of Italy into one post?
Let’s start with last night because that’s fresh in my mind. We got back from Arrezzo at 4:30 and I had time to grab some groceries in town before sweating 5 pounds off going up the hill. The temperature has decided to go from low 80s to high 90s this month. Since I was basically as disgusting as it gets I went for a run and then deserted my dinner plans and made a salad. After 2 weeks of gelato, no excursive and lots of pasta I’m back on my health kick. Back to actually eating breakfasts, cooking lunch and eating fruit for snacks in stead of peanut butter and cookies. I’m trying to save money because next weekend (Florence) is going to be way expensive. I’ve portioned it out so that I spend approx 3 euros on food a day aside from anything I might by in town, which will hopefully be nothing. I’m not sure how running’s going to hold up in this European heat with no air conditioning, but we’ll see.
I was in need for some alone time so I gathered an ephemera of items and headed up to Santa Margherita and beyond to the fortress for my long planned sunset adventure at the peak of the mountain.
I journeyed up the trail with Shane and Shane and reached the top just in time after stopping for a few really cool sunshine shots. Once at the top I had to turn off my ipod because there were no words or sounds that could have described what I was looking at. All I felt capable of doing was sitting and being in awe of the creation that was in front of me. Whoever says there isn’t a God that creates beautiful water-color masterpieces in the sunsets each day is beyond me. I had planned on journaling, sketching, and reading but all I could get through was Genesis 1, because as soon as I was up there I knew that’s what I should read. Everything listed in those verses was right in front of me. I took individual photos to illustrate each verse and they’re nothing special but it was really cool to me. Eventually I got kicked out because the art gallery was closing. On my way down I passed a nun on her way up…. How interesting for two different people both on a hike to praise God, but from very different walks of life (no pun intended).
Now to fill y’all in on the rest of the week… we finally finished our exhibition posters and my friend Kaitlin won the winning design that will be used for our “Mostra” on July 30-31. I went to Arrezzo on Saturday for our day trip and spent a lovely date of a day with Vasilisa. We enjoyed the fresco cycle in the Dominican church and I mapped out the rest of my trip here with Danielle. The last week in July is going to be crazy for me, as I’ll prepare for my book arts and graphics pieces for the show and I’ll be taking my art history final the morning that it opens because Caroline and I hit the road the morning after the exhibition. Vasilisa and I perused the shops of the city and found a well-designed “Coffee-Clocked” that served us lunch and the most scrumptious drink I’ve had yet in Italy – the café mocha with caramel mixed in and homemade whipped cream. We made friends with a group of Oklahomian’s who are studying organic-chem in Arrezzo this summer. I felt more than blessed to be here doing art and I felt ashamed for complaining about my art history test. This is the absolute perfect place to be studying art – the culture, history, art here, environment, everything is set up for us to be creative and make some good stuff! The Arrezzo students told us to go see the park so we hiked up to their main piazza and the park and duomo and it was another one of those breath-taking moments. Their park knocks ours out of the water. It has a little kiosk for snacks and drinks with outdoor tables that I know I’d be studying at if I were there. The park is expansive and perfect for sun-bathing. The view is 180 if you follow the paramater and not only looks on the more suburban little city but also overlooks rows of olive trees and a little vineyard. I could have sat and read or written there all day long.
Back-tracking to Thursday and Friday – I was studying for art history for those two days, so no wonder I’m so delayed on my blogging. Art history is intense here in Italy! But one mid-term down and a final to go and I’m FINISHED AT LAST! No more art history for me J
I’m sure other more exciting things have happened but I’m about to go for a swim at Amie’s villa so I’ll bid you adieu!
Ciao!
xo
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