Oasis in a Big City

The parks of New York City provide a welcome respite from bustling city and you will find them everywhere! Be sure to check out the High Line walk, an old subway track converted to a park, Washington square park, the roof of the Met, and of course Central Park.
 

CG

Brief yet Lasting Feelings of New York City

Well, I have arrived in New York City after three wonderful weeks in Rome and I feel incredibly at home in this city that I have never seen before. I believe that this is partially due to my last three weeks being in such a foreign place that being back in the United States brings on a sense of unexpected nostalgia. New York is easy to fall in love with. It is so lively. There is no other way to describe it. Rome is a city with a great and powerful past. New York is so young and bursting with people from all walks of life. It is lovely to see mothers walking their children to school, businessmen with fancy suits and briefcases brusquely strolling to their important meetings and young teenagers messing around in shopping centers. It is all very comforting. New York is very much like the Met. It is this conglomeration of immigrants from everywhere. The rich, the poor, the all american, and the fresh off the boat are all thrown together here in New York. In the Met, unlike Italian Museums, there is also this sense of ordered chaos. Run from Medieval to nineteenth century paintings to Egyptian temples all in a matter of minutes. This is New York City to me.

 

Florence

I wish I could have spent more time in Florence. The place was filled with young beautiful people and the places we visited were exciting, spontaneous and adventurous. We accomplished so much each day! Below are a few of my recommended activities!

The Duomo and Climbing the Adjacent Tower

I paid to go inside the Duomo and climb the dome; however, I would actually recommend going inside the Duomo to witness the beautiful painted dome and climbing the adjacent tower for a great view. This way you can marvel at the outside of the Duomo which is far more intricate than the inside and not have to wait in hours long lines.

Pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella

Italy's oldest pharmacy is a delight for all your senses. I went twice. You can come to shop or learn about the history of the business. Well worth a visit!

Sunset at Piazza Michaelangelo

This terrace is without a doubt where I saw the best sunset of this trip. The piazza is just a short walk from the Ponte Vecchio where you can have a lovely dinner afterwords.

The Sunset and a View of the Ponte Vecchio

Oriveto

We woke up early this morning to take a train ride followed by a lift into Oriveto, a small hillside town known for its enormous duomo and world renown white wine. I would recommend wandering through the shops of main street to look at the bright and vibrant pottery and visiting the gelato shop to the right of the duomo (try prune flavored, sound gross, tastes amazing ). Don't forget to visit the Duomo itself, home to the alter cloth with drips of blood on it from the Eucharist. The story goes that a man who did not believe that the bread was actually the body of Christ went to take communion and the bread started to bleed. Word of this story made its way to the Pope who build the enormous church to commemorate the spot. Here are some pictures from my day!

 

A Gallery to Remember

A day I remember fondly was the day I went to the Borghese Gallery. The gallery is filled with incredible sculptures by Bernini and Canova and paintings by Caravaggio. It is hard to believe that the place was in fact someones house who collected all this artwork. Each room is decorated impeccably with the ceilings and walls painted with amazing and three dimensional murals.

The details in the marbles are something I will never forget. It made me wonder why art like this is not created anymore. The conclusion was sadly simple, money. The consumer is in charge in an artist's world. Without anyone to fund artists to make marble sculptures, they turn to other creative works. A modern Bernini might go into animation or the film industries. I guess in a way today's sculptures are the details put into CGI models of life.

CG 

Naples and Positano

Naples and Positano... These two cities are practically foils for one another -- opposites in every way, but each with their own merits. Positano is a beautiful, elegant, and rather posh beach town that screams charm. It is absolutely no surprise to me that the Amalfi coast has what is considered the number one beaches in the world. Be warned however. It is a challenge to get to if you do not possess a car. From Naples, we took an hour and a half train ride to Sorrento followed by an uncomfortably crowded hour bus ride to Positano's edge. From there, probably about 200 to 300 steps await you to get to the beach. It is well worth it.

Naples, on the other hand, is rough around the edges. It is considered the third world of Italy for a reason and gives off an unsafe air of chaos in its streets. This said, every restaurant that I ate at was spectacular and every person I met personally was very nice. My advice in regards to Naples is be on your guard. Keep valuables underneath your clothes, do not go out late at night and be vigilant on the sidewalks as more than once I witnessed motorcycles and mopeds using them as roads. Finally, make sure to make time to go to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples where you will find artifacts from Pompeii and the fascinating room of indecency!

Pompeii

Pompeii was not what I expected. I had the idea in my head that the city would be filled with the shells of preserved people. However, what I found was an enormous city that had interesting artifacts, buildings and murals at every corner. Pack lots of water, sunscreen and a hat because Pompeii will take all day not only because it is fascinating (in fact, I wish I could have spent longer there) but because the maps provided are pretty terrible. My suggestion would be to grab an informational packet that is offered in many languages and gives information on every site in Pompeii and map out a road plan to where you would like to visit! I'd seriously suggest including the Mystery Villa in your travels!