The parents came and we went to Florence

Last weekend my parents came. We went to Florence just shortly after it started raining in Rome. I took them to the Pantheon first while it was raining. 

The hole in the top was letting water in, so it was a giant circle of rain, a really cool experience.

My parents and I on our way to get our first meal in Florence.

Santa Maria Novella. This was the church we ended up going to church in on Sunday. This church also housed Massachio's artwork called the Trinity, possibly the first painting ever with correct proportions and perspective.

Mom and Dad outside the church.

The baptistry outside the Duomo. We studied these golden doors for our art history class.

The Duomo, my dad and I climbed to the top of the Dome. A long long hike up but totally worth it.

The best picture I could snap near the top of the Dome.

At the top was an amazing sight of Florence. In the picture you can see Giotto's bell tower and the city of Florence.

I'm at the top.

Another view of Florence. 

The next day we went to the Uffizi and Acedamia museums, which will be my next post... Enjoy!

The nun

I told you that I would put up the picture of the nun and I. Here she is, the nun who kicked me off of the piano. She was so tiny and incredibly sweet.

Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin...

Where do I begin? I have been watching interviews and debates all day that I have missed and I am seriously disturbed that Sarah Palin could potentially be our president.

70 million people watched the Vice Presidential Debate. 70 million viewers and Palin uses phrases such as: "Joe Six-pack," Say it AINT so Joe," "Dawg Gonnit," "Dang right," and chanted "drill baby drill."

She even took time out to thank a 3rd grade class and said they get extra credit for watching the debate. And then she winked for the sixth time at the camera.

She referred to McCain as Maverick, a fictional character that could solve crimes with a paper clip and a straw...

Obviously I am being sarcastic with my last comment, but I am worried for America. This lady is not fit to be president. Her only foreign "experience" as stated by her is that she governed Alaska which was neighbors with Russia and Canada. 

Listen to her answer questions, tell me that you can follow what she says. If she can't answer a question she throws out big words and talks in circles.

SNL did a skit of her during the Katie Couric interview and in one part didn't even change a single word and the audience was LAUGHING. They used word-for-word what Palin said.

Now I will be the first to say I do not know to much about politics and don't follow it as closely as I should, but it haunts me that this "Soccer Mom" could be president. The only thing she should be running for is the head of the PTA at school.

I just had to rant. I had to get this off my chest, and I would love to know what America thinks about this, being overseas I have only been able to view the debate and interview on CNN and YouTube.

Please leave comments. Thank you

Sorento and Capri

In Sorento we stayed at a Hostel about 45 minutes outside of the downtown area. We stayed in a cabin that was a minute walk away from the beach.

This is the path to get down to the beach.

Part of the beach.

A view from the restaurant we ate at.

We took a 45 minute boat ride to Capri the next day. The island was gorgeous, expensive, but amazing scenery. 

A group of us took a 12 minute chairlift ride up to the highest peak of Capri, the view was amazing.

All of us did a jumping photo, this was mine.

Leaving Capri in the scariest boat ride of my life. It almost tipped over a good dozen times, no joke.

Those blogs and posts were just my favorite ones. I have a lot more photos which I will hopefully be able to show you all sometime. Now it's back to school for a week. Our North field trip is in a month where we will be visiting Milan, Florence and Venice.

Thanks for reading again, I'll be in touch soon.

Ciao,

Rob

The Convent and Pompeii

Our next stop was a nunnery where we spent the night. The convent was right on a cliff overlooking the Bay of Naples and the rooms were set up like a hostel. I got kicked off the piano by a nun who started playing and got the whole room clapping. I have a picture with her on someone else's camera so I will upload that when I have a copy of it.

Here is a view from the convent.

The water was very blue.

Heidi and I and our Honeymoon shot.

The next day we visited Pompeii. It started out a very nice day, but eventually rained which created an entirely different atmosphere. Pompeii was a very depressing place in the rain.

The streets of Pompeii.

A lizard tail and foot.

The small amphitheater. This use to have a roof on it.

Fresco in the house of mystery. The house was called this because it was a huge villa on the out-skirt of the town and had pagan symbols all over it.

These are casts of people who were found preserved my the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius which buried the town and the people of Pompeii. This was in the house of the fugitives. 

The large arena. On the completely opposite end of Pompeii, a good half an hour away from the entrance. As you can see it is about to rain in the picture. Which we had to run back to the entrance while it was pouring. I got soaked and had to change before I got on the train to our hostel in Sorento, which will be my next post.

Naples and museums

What is up homies? 

I will be dividing this blog into a couple of sections because I took a TON of photos.

Our class left Thursday for our South field trip. We took a train out of Rome and headed towards Naples. That day we visited museums and ended up at a nunnery. 

Here is a shot of the Termini station in Rome from where we left very early in the morning. We took a train straight to Naples. We didn't get to spend to much time there, we grabbed a bus and took off to museums right away.

Just another illegal picture I snapped at the museum. However this was for a good reason, this mosaic is the one my mixed media class will recreate. We will divide the mosaic into about 10 different sections and then everyone gets a part and recreates it using a variety of techniques. It should turn out well, I'll get some pictures up of that when we finish it.

The octopus section was already called, so I called the fish in the bottom right corner. Cross your fingers I get it.

This is a photo of my cat Addie in Ancient times. Doing what she does best!

Doryphoros, the Spear-bearer. This isn't the original, but it is one of my favorite statues.

This is one of the best examples of contrapposto, meaning "counterpoise." Look at how his weight is shifted and his shoulders are tilted. This brings a relaxed feeling to the piece and creates what is called an S-curve, a harmonious balance of the piece that the Greeks created.

Just a Bust that I liked.

This painting a few of us nicknamed "Mardi Gras in heaven."

Alright, the next post to come will be the Nunnery and Pompeii. Hope you enjoy.

Assisi

Ciao Bellas! (Hello Pretties) 

Sorry again I haven't updated this thing, however I did some calculations. This will be the 15th post, in 5 weeks overseas, so I've roughly added a post every 2.3333333 days. So deal with it!

I went to Assisi last Saturday. We had 5 hours in the city to walk around. I saw both St. Francis' and St. Claire's tombs. I did a bit of shopping, got some gifts, and snapped some pictures. And

 here they are:

This is a view from up the hill. It sort of looks like Iowa, except for the mountains in the back ground. It was a truly peaceful city with nuns and monks everywhere. Every church we walked into was loaded with people but was dead silent because if you talked you would get yelled at by a monk. I'm happy to say I was not yelled at by a monk.

Here is the best photo of St. Francis' tomb I could snap. We weren't suppose to take pictures in the church, however I snapped a couple with the flash off so I could show you guys. I tried being incognito and just kept the camera by my side, and this is the only one that semi turned out. This is a two story tomb, this photo being the top part where mass is held. 

This is a playboy bunny necklace in a display case hanging in front of a portrait of St. Francis. Just thought I'd share.

Another view o Assisi from higher up. The church you see in this photo I believe held the tomb of St. Claire. Sorry, didn't snap any photos of that tomb. 

So I took this little nature trail and stumbled upon a castle. Yea... a castle. So I toured it for 5 Euro.

This is a really long passage way that lead to a tower in the castle. It overlooked Assisi.

Another view of the countryside.

Some of the broken down castle.

I took more photos but these are my favs. I will put together a slide show so when I get back if you want to see more I'll let ya!

Tomorrow we leave for our southern fieldtrip. We go to Naples and Pompeii. I am staying an extra day with a group and will try to see Capri and some more sights down south. 

I got a care package in the mail yesterday from my parents, it was filled with good ol' American food and more. I have to say I was disappointed there wasn't a double quater pounder with cheese in it. The only way I think I will get a cheese burger is if I ask dad to bring White Castle over when he comes. My favorite item in the box was a nice big thing of RANCH DRESSING! Thank you, thank you.

Well it shouldn't be too long until I have pictures of the south and the coast. I hear it is absolutely gorgeous. So I'll be snap happy with my camera there.

Thanks again fro reading, and check back soon for more.

A dopo (See you later)

-Robbie