Finals

Two papers down. One final today. A bunch more to go.

Thinking of Italy

Here I am again, in the break room, working on a final paper. It's raining, otherwise I'd be in the garden or playing basketball. Or sitting in the Campo, writing or reading or sleeping. The countdown is at two weeks and I still want to talk about the places I've visited, but I know that the one with the most influence is the one where I have somewhat rooted myself. I've found home in Siena. In late Italian dinners. Crisp spring weather. Sleepy sunday afternoons and the flow of the Italian tongue.

Lisbon II (Sintra and Cascais)

Cascais










Sintra

Lisbona

At this moment, I sit in the student lounge researching for one of my many papers (in this case the subject is Norman Architecture in Southern Italy). I hope to finish this particular paper today or tomorrow, while still beginning all the others I have to write. I don't lament, because I enjoy the challenge I have been given, but I also find myself reflecting upon my break only a few weeks ago. Lisbona. Barcellona. Amsterdam. Had I known before, I wouldn't have chosen to go so many places, for by the end I was exhausted. But I am happy, because I now can't think of a better place to have visited first than Lisbon.
Our stay in Lisbon lasted 4 nights and the better part of 5 days. And whilst there, we visited also Sintra and Cascais. If only there had been more time, I would've like to see Belem and Estoril as well, but no matter.
In Lisbon, we sampled the local fare - fish, meat, pastries. The fish is great, though at one restaurant it was served cold, bone-in on a sandwich, for which I was certainly not ready. My suggestion is to try and find a small restaurant if you can, though it is difficult in Lisbon. We were stuck eating a tourist hotspot one night - leading us to pay much more than we wanted (and also running into an apparently common practice of appetizers being laid out in the hopes that you will eat them, being charged after the fact). The historical center of Lisbon is beautiful - much more open than an Italian city, possibly due to the reconstruction after a huge earthquake in the 1700s. Unfortunately the Place do Comercio was under construction during our visit, but was still a grand site. From one point of the sea, one can walk a perfectly straight line through the heart of the city to one of the more impressive sites I have ever seen- O parque do Marques Pumbal. There exists a phenomenal view of the entire descent to the sea, past a grandoise park and through wide streets. Every road leads uphill in Lisbon, but when you experience a view such as that at Marques Pumbal, you understand why.

Some more Stockholm Pictures

Sorry for the delay

I am in Prague, spending my last days of travel while in Europe. I apologize for the lack of updates, but I have survived a marthon of travel. In the last month I have been to Stockholm, Rome (3 times), Lisbon, Barcelona, Amsterdam and now Prague. Of all of these, I may have found Prague to be the best, but I cannot possibly choose. I want to talk about all the places I've been, to give a full sense of each impact on me. But first, Stockholm.
This was around a month ago, so the details are not so strong, but to give an idea: Stockholm is a truly majestic city - very modern in its modern sector and very quaint and charming in its hisorical center. It is on 5 (or so) islands, connected by bridges and seperated by frigid (but also, almost, inviting) water. The Swedish people are among the nicest one can find (and among the most beautiful). A visit to Stockholm can be little but warm, even when there's only one day at the maximum (in our case) and sleeping in two different airports - (us again). One of the cooler things I have ever seen was the vodka ice bar in Stockholm. In order to enter one must don a protective coat (twice as thick as any other I have seen) and make sure not to stay longer than 45 minutes in this room made of only ice (a bar of ice and cups of ice as well).