Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. - Seneca
The past couple of days we have been doing work in mental mapping. Thursday started out well. We arrived in Venice and committed our first crime. We all carefully stowed aboard a Vaporreto (one of the boats that take people around the city along the grand canal) and made it all the way to Salute without paying. Salute is incredible. The church is a massive, incredible piece of architecture that was built as an offering during the plague in Venice. So we began there and were told to walk around Sestier Dorsoduro, paying particular attention to light and space along the different ways, and making a mental map, pointing out the landmarks and objects that stood out to us. It was very interesting looking at the things that stood out. Usually it was for a personal reason, something that was attractive to us individually. Other times though it was simply the largest or most incredible building on the calle or in the campo. My sketching could still use a lot of work but I’m trying, and people are more than willing to help me improve, so I think I’ll take a couple of lessons.
I spent a lot of time that day following the fondamenta zattere, the strip that follows all of the way along the southern edge of Dorsoduro next to the lagoon. It is a beautiful strip. We met up in the afternoon, relaxed a little in Campo Santa Margherita, and then were free to do whatever we wanted. I went with Anisha, Ira, and Mahati to visit Campo Ghetto and the Jewish section of the town. It was a little difficult for us to find at first, but eventually we made it. It was a much quieter part of the city, more personal, but perhaps I was biased. I knew I was in the right place when I ran into the Chabad. There was a man, not too much older than me sitting outside and after we realized that the synagogues were closed, I went to speak with him. He was a Hassidic Jew from New York who had come to Europe for a friend's wedding and was sitting outside the Chabad inviting people to Shavuot services that night. He of course invited me, but unfortunately the services were after the last train out of the city and I couldn’t go. But when he asked me if I wanted to put on tefillin, I couldn’t refuse. There was just something about being in the place that made me want to don a tallis and the tefillin, and it was a very powerful experience. It made me feel comfortable, connected, in this city that was filled with tourists looking for a cheap carnivle mask to take home with them. I think perhaps the Venetians feel the same way about their traditions. Though the tourists may take the Gondola rides, and buy masks, to the Venetians, these things are art forms, badges of pride that define them and bring them comfort. So while much of Venice is being lost in tourism, there are pockets of tradition, which is a comforting thought.
So my friends watched as I did this, curious as to what it all was, and what the Hebrew I was speaking meant. It made for a good conversation on the way back to the train.
The next day I decided to try a little experiment. My goal was to test silence. How much more did I notice, did I pay attention when I didn’t talk. People knew what I was doing, and I had a little communication through other means, but apart from that, I didn’t speak. It was an interesting experience. It calmed me and helped me focus and I was able to notice things that I had not on previous days, even when traveling alone. We had a personal tour from a woman Shun knows named Valeria who took us from Campo San Toma to the Rialto. We went along a lot of back ways and she told us stories about the meaning of the streets, and the histories of many of the houses. It was fascinating. After that we broke into pairs so I decided to start speaking again so as not to leave my partner alone. Anisha and I explored that path from the Rialto back to San Toma again and learned the ins and outs of that section of the city. Much of the mapping we were supposed to do was visual, but Shun told everyone, though directed at me I believe, that we could do verbal mapping, or other kinds. My goal was to map the flow of people and languages. My work is incomplete, but I have at least made some interesting observations. It is not to surprising that along shopping strips you will hear American English, Italian, German, British English, French, etc, but it is also more prevalent in main campos and in calles that lead to important places. However the many other calles that lead to random places, little Cortes, or shortcuts, usually have Italian if not exclusively Venetian. As for the flow of people, the narrower the walkway, the darker it tends to be, since the buildings are very tall and connected, so people tend to walk very quickly down these calles. I think people feel trapped or oppressed by the lack of space and light and seek to escape into a brighter area, whether it be a porte or a campo. In that way it almost seems like the long, dark, narrow calles direct people to brighter places. The most incredible part of the day though was our visit to a mask shop by Campo San Toma. I was curious to know why these people made the masks. Was it for the tourists, was it to make money, was it a passion? This shop attracted my attention because I could see the owners making the masks inside by hand. One of the women there explained to me that if people were looking for a carnivale mask to take home, they were in the wrong shop. Traditional Venetian mask makers spend several months to a year researching new designs for masks before building them. These masks are for the love of Venetian tradition and are sold to native Venetians for carnivale and for decoration in their homes. It was very interesting to hear her passion. She then explained the marionettes hanging in the shop. In the past, the marionettes provided an opportunity for people to anonymously criticize the Doge and the noblemen in caricature. Apparently this is still done today, though not nearly as often.
Today we spent the entire day in Monselice at the Villa. I love this place; it is absolutely inspiring. A sixteenth century villa facilitates a lot of creativity. We went shopping at the supermarket in the morning to collect fresh food for lunch and dinner. At the villa we went over the past couple of days and retraced and rethought our maps. It is very difficult to describe the impact that this program is having on people, but it is there, sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious.
We made lunch in the Villa together, a fun experience with delicious results. The ingredients here are so fresh. The fruit is better, the cheese is better, the bread is better, and all of it is relatively cheap, especially for its quality. We did the same for dinner and it was fantastic. We spent a lot of time exploring the Villa and taking pictures for a profile that we are all developing, which provided great entertainment. Everyone shared pictures, and cameras, and stories. Mahati played her fiddle first in the courtyard, then inside the Villa, and later in the evening along a rooftop pathway, which is one of my favorite spots. The villagers though provided the most exciting moment of the night. Many of the people grouped together with torches and candles, singing Ave Maria and walking up to a shrine in a public part of the villa. It was amazing to watch, especially from the rooftop. And now as we finish up our profiles and listen to Shun’s Italian music, I am excited by our day tomorrow, our free day. I don’t know what I should do yet. I am tempted to go back to the city and sketch more and explore, and “catch up” on a lot of work that I wasn’t sure I might want earlier on. But others will go to the beach or explore the city so I will see. I also got an invitation from Massi, the guy who has been helping us a lot in Monselice and works as a librarian in the castle, to show me around the town and some of the better nature spots, so perhaps I will take him up on that. For now though, I will end my work and walk back down the hill soon.
Buona Notte
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Monselice
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. -Lao Tzu
We have just finished our second day of the program and I am starting to get an idea as to how this will work. It is very complex, a matter of finding questions and searching for answers in a very deep almost philosophical sense that will inevitably result in more questions. It is challenging, not being an architecture major, but not impossible and I am learning to observe things and look at things in ways that I have never thought of before.
We are staying in Monselice, a town several miles from Venice and taking the train in every day. The town is an old 16th century fortress town, though there are some castle remains here from the sixth century. It is a very interesting place. We are staying in an old villa converted into a hostel and Shun managed to arrange for us to use Villa Duodo, an old sixteenth century villa as our work space. I’ve been up to the Villa a few times now and it is incredible, but I haven’t had a chance to go in the day more than once, so I’ll have to find another time to get some pictures.
During the days we have been going into the city. We eat breakfast at around 8:00 and leave for the train at around 8:30- simple, and fortunately for some, flexible. On our first day our assignment was to go around the city observing different signs to better understand a calle, a campo, etc. On top of this we were told to go alone so as to individually observe the city and not risk having our opinions influenced by others and we were told to get lost and find our way. Some did, some didn’t, but we all made it back to the train station when we were going to leave and I had no difficulty getting around. I did get fantastically lost though. Venice is very nice and very safe. There are lots of little alleys, lots of dead ends, and lots of surprises, but it is all very welcoming and as long as one is aware of their surroundings (the point of the assignment) it is harmless.
We did end up meeting as a group partially during the first day and we visited several interesting sites: fantastic squares, incredible churches, and very nice gellaterias (for gelato). But the most incredible part of the day was our visit to the oar makers. We met Sevario, the master, and Pietro, the assistant, who both make oars and forcole for a living. The oars are very interesting, and made for gondolas or other types of rowboats and take a few days to make. But the true art is in the forcole. At the end of a gondola there is the forcola, in to which the oar is set and rotated to a particular gondolier’s stroke. They are all custom made to fit the stroke of the gondolier and take around 3 years to make. They are incredible pieces of art.
Today we had the same routine, wandering Venice until around 2, but this time paying keen attention to our senses to understand the different sounds, smells, sights, etc, of Venice and how they change in different spots. For example Soto Portegos are dark, and they echo magnificently, but then open to a very light campo or calle. Campos however are loud and wide and bright and there may be restaurants within or nearby to create sounds and scents.
At 2:00pm we met to begin an assignment studying a work by Carlo Scarpa, the architect of study on this program. It was a courtyard and we were supposed to study it to understand how it worked, how it was special, and how it was Venetian. It wasn’t easy work, and Shun does not provide many answers, but he listens and we eventually garner some understanding, though it is an ever self-improving process. There is no right or wrong, and Shun never tells us any specific interpretation. This is very much an independent, and personal experience, one that will likely lead to personal growth through deep reflection. It is not so much the architecture itself that will lead to this but the thought process associated with it. The push for individuality and understanding, leaving our comfort zones, and independence will likely change all of us. Perhaps not in the next three weeks, but with further reflection and experience, we will change because of this program.
We caught the train back to Monselice in time to grab a quick slice of pizza (delicious and cheap) and then watched the Manchester United v. Barcelona championship. I sat next a guy associated with the Villa Duodo who I am becoming friends with and also next to a guy here from Northern Ireland making his way around Europe. It was a good match and just about everybody was happy that Barcelona won.
Everybody on the trip is friendly and I like to think that I am making friends with them. Whether or not they will be deep lasting friendships remains to be seen, but I certainly hope that they will be. There are some very interesting people here ranging form a 35-year-old student pursuing his masters in architecture to a sophomore in college majoring in material sciences. My major is certainly very different from the others' but it has not been a problem yet and the way the program is tailored, I do not think it will be too much of a hindrance to me.
It is getting late and we are getting our first night of rain. It is not unwelcome though; as it will take away the scorching heat we have had for the past few days. For now though I retire looking forward to another day in the city.
Buona notte.
We have just finished our second day of the program and I am starting to get an idea as to how this will work. It is very complex, a matter of finding questions and searching for answers in a very deep almost philosophical sense that will inevitably result in more questions. It is challenging, not being an architecture major, but not impossible and I am learning to observe things and look at things in ways that I have never thought of before.
We are staying in Monselice, a town several miles from Venice and taking the train in every day. The town is an old 16th century fortress town, though there are some castle remains here from the sixth century. It is a very interesting place. We are staying in an old villa converted into a hostel and Shun managed to arrange for us to use Villa Duodo, an old sixteenth century villa as our work space. I’ve been up to the Villa a few times now and it is incredible, but I haven’t had a chance to go in the day more than once, so I’ll have to find another time to get some pictures.
During the days we have been going into the city. We eat breakfast at around 8:00 and leave for the train at around 8:30- simple, and fortunately for some, flexible. On our first day our assignment was to go around the city observing different signs to better understand a calle, a campo, etc. On top of this we were told to go alone so as to individually observe the city and not risk having our opinions influenced by others and we were told to get lost and find our way. Some did, some didn’t, but we all made it back to the train station when we were going to leave and I had no difficulty getting around. I did get fantastically lost though. Venice is very nice and very safe. There are lots of little alleys, lots of dead ends, and lots of surprises, but it is all very welcoming and as long as one is aware of their surroundings (the point of the assignment) it is harmless.
We did end up meeting as a group partially during the first day and we visited several interesting sites: fantastic squares, incredible churches, and very nice gellaterias (for gelato). But the most incredible part of the day was our visit to the oar makers. We met Sevario, the master, and Pietro, the assistant, who both make oars and forcole for a living. The oars are very interesting, and made for gondolas or other types of rowboats and take a few days to make. But the true art is in the forcole. At the end of a gondola there is the forcola, in to which the oar is set and rotated to a particular gondolier’s stroke. They are all custom made to fit the stroke of the gondolier and take around 3 years to make. They are incredible pieces of art.
Today we had the same routine, wandering Venice until around 2, but this time paying keen attention to our senses to understand the different sounds, smells, sights, etc, of Venice and how they change in different spots. For example Soto Portegos are dark, and they echo magnificently, but then open to a very light campo or calle. Campos however are loud and wide and bright and there may be restaurants within or nearby to create sounds and scents.
At 2:00pm we met to begin an assignment studying a work by Carlo Scarpa, the architect of study on this program. It was a courtyard and we were supposed to study it to understand how it worked, how it was special, and how it was Venetian. It wasn’t easy work, and Shun does not provide many answers, but he listens and we eventually garner some understanding, though it is an ever self-improving process. There is no right or wrong, and Shun never tells us any specific interpretation. This is very much an independent, and personal experience, one that will likely lead to personal growth through deep reflection. It is not so much the architecture itself that will lead to this but the thought process associated with it. The push for individuality and understanding, leaving our comfort zones, and independence will likely change all of us. Perhaps not in the next three weeks, but with further reflection and experience, we will change because of this program.
We caught the train back to Monselice in time to grab a quick slice of pizza (delicious and cheap) and then watched the Manchester United v. Barcelona championship. I sat next a guy associated with the Villa Duodo who I am becoming friends with and also next to a guy here from Northern Ireland making his way around Europe. It was a good match and just about everybody was happy that Barcelona won.
Everybody on the trip is friendly and I like to think that I am making friends with them. Whether or not they will be deep lasting friendships remains to be seen, but I certainly hope that they will be. There are some very interesting people here ranging form a 35-year-old student pursuing his masters in architecture to a sophomore in college majoring in material sciences. My major is certainly very different from the others' but it has not been a problem yet and the way the program is tailored, I do not think it will be too much of a hindrance to me.
It is getting late and we are getting our first night of rain. It is not unwelcome though; as it will take away the scorching heat we have had for the past few days. For now though I retire looking forward to another day in the city.
Buona notte.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Absolut Venice
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”-Ralph Waldo Emerson
The two extra days in the city before the program began were certainly a good idea. It was great to get acclimated and to understand how to make it as a foreigner in Venice looking for food, or water, or other such necessities. The trip from the airport to Venezia was a simple bus ride, but the trip from the bus stop to the hostel was more daunting. Melodie and I lugged several bags and suit cases down a couple of miles and over two very large (and step ridden) bridges. It was challenging, but the strangers were kind and helped Melodie with her second bag over both bridges when I did not have an extra hand to do so.
We made it to the hostel, or I should say the main building of the hostel. We walked in, with all of our luggage and up another flight of stairs to meet Franco, the man who ran the place. He was a fairly sleazy businessman who did not care much for travelers' concerns and tried to charm his way through problems. We fortunately did not encounter any of this personally. We did find however that we were being moved to one of the other houses that the hostel has and we were given two choices, one very far away in another section of the city and one much closer. We chose the closer. We lugged our bags back down the stairs and went around a couple of blocks until we got to the new place. As we got in we saw a couple of guys working on the air conditioning but were reassured by Franco that the place was great. Fortunately, it really was pretty good. The guy who ran it was a middle aged, traveled Italian man who fixed any problems that came up. We explored the city a bit, but were exhausted and went to sleep early that night to prepare for our adventures the next morning.
I woke up early, too excited to stay asleep. I was awoken by the church bells nearby and the sounds of the gulls-not a bad way to wake up. I greeted our neighbors next door who were just preparing to leave. They were very interesting. Three americans, two who work in Texas and one who is a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania studying immunology. Apparently she was working with a strain of 1930s swine flu before the current out break so we had a great discussion. After that we got people ready and headed out.
The city is incredible, filled with hundreds of little alleys and streets, and thousands of different sounds and smells and sights. There are numerous courtyards and squares where children run around laughing and playing and people sit and chat. There are no cars to ruin the ambience, only the boats in the canals and the gondolas that take tourists through the city-the embodiment of Venetian culture. There were a few great stereotypical moments such as the accordian player outside at the restaurant near our hostel, and even though it should seem cliche, it was truly enjoyable. We went shopping at the supermarket, grabbed paninis from little shops, which are increcibly cheap, and the best pastries that I have ever had, only 1.50 euro each.
So far though there have been two especially memorable moments of our adventures. In one of the squares there is a large statue of a lion with wings, the standard of Vencie and we took pictures of it and admired the work that went into it. There were images of it all over the city, but this statue was by far the most regal. The other moment was our trip to Piazza San Marco. It was around 10:00 when we headed out on mostly empty streets to make our way to the square. As we entered I was awestruck by the large open space surrounded by incredible buildings. Outside one of the restaurants in the square a band played and we walked the square to the sounds of strings and romantic music. Again, perhaps a little cliche, but powerful nonetheless. The buildings were lined with lights and the square, while sparsely populated, was still very much alive with a people sitting down sipping their wine to the music, while others danced freely.
And now we have made our way out to Monselice, an incredible town that I have yet to explore, but soon that will be amended and there will be much more to share and reflect upon.
The two extra days in the city before the program began were certainly a good idea. It was great to get acclimated and to understand how to make it as a foreigner in Venice looking for food, or water, or other such necessities. The trip from the airport to Venezia was a simple bus ride, but the trip from the bus stop to the hostel was more daunting. Melodie and I lugged several bags and suit cases down a couple of miles and over two very large (and step ridden) bridges. It was challenging, but the strangers were kind and helped Melodie with her second bag over both bridges when I did not have an extra hand to do so.
We made it to the hostel, or I should say the main building of the hostel. We walked in, with all of our luggage and up another flight of stairs to meet Franco, the man who ran the place. He was a fairly sleazy businessman who did not care much for travelers' concerns and tried to charm his way through problems. We fortunately did not encounter any of this personally. We did find however that we were being moved to one of the other houses that the hostel has and we were given two choices, one very far away in another section of the city and one much closer. We chose the closer. We lugged our bags back down the stairs and went around a couple of blocks until we got to the new place. As we got in we saw a couple of guys working on the air conditioning but were reassured by Franco that the place was great. Fortunately, it really was pretty good. The guy who ran it was a middle aged, traveled Italian man who fixed any problems that came up. We explored the city a bit, but were exhausted and went to sleep early that night to prepare for our adventures the next morning.
I woke up early, too excited to stay asleep. I was awoken by the church bells nearby and the sounds of the gulls-not a bad way to wake up. I greeted our neighbors next door who were just preparing to leave. They were very interesting. Three americans, two who work in Texas and one who is a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania studying immunology. Apparently she was working with a strain of 1930s swine flu before the current out break so we had a great discussion. After that we got people ready and headed out.
The city is incredible, filled with hundreds of little alleys and streets, and thousands of different sounds and smells and sights. There are numerous courtyards and squares where children run around laughing and playing and people sit and chat. There are no cars to ruin the ambience, only the boats in the canals and the gondolas that take tourists through the city-the embodiment of Venetian culture. There were a few great stereotypical moments such as the accordian player outside at the restaurant near our hostel, and even though it should seem cliche, it was truly enjoyable. We went shopping at the supermarket, grabbed paninis from little shops, which are increcibly cheap, and the best pastries that I have ever had, only 1.50 euro each.
So far though there have been two especially memorable moments of our adventures. In one of the squares there is a large statue of a lion with wings, the standard of Vencie and we took pictures of it and admired the work that went into it. There were images of it all over the city, but this statue was by far the most regal. The other moment was our trip to Piazza San Marco. It was around 10:00 when we headed out on mostly empty streets to make our way to the square. As we entered I was awestruck by the large open space surrounded by incredible buildings. Outside one of the restaurants in the square a band played and we walked the square to the sounds of strings and romantic music. Again, perhaps a little cliche, but powerful nonetheless. The buildings were lined with lights and the square, while sparsely populated, was still very much alive with a people sitting down sipping their wine to the music, while others danced freely.
And now we have made our way out to Monselice, an incredible town that I have yet to explore, but soon that will be amended and there will be much more to share and reflect upon.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Amsterdam
“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” -Robert Louis Stevenson
I've arrived in Amsterdam after a nice flight on KLM. Schipol International Airport is large, but very nice. It should be considering I will be spending eight hours here. But there is nothing like an airport for people watching. This one happens to have good bird watching too as there is a nest in one of the speakers above me. I assume it is broken.
I have a limited amount of time, but what I can share now is the excitement of experiencing something different. I suppose if I were to sit in the international terminals in Chicago I would see just as many people from different countries, but there is a very important difference here-all of the annoucnements are in Dutch.
So lesson number one in Europe, in travel, and perhaps in life: Nothing is free. Perhaps, however, experience will bring greater benefits than recurring internet costs. For now I will wait for my next flight and enjoy everything I see.
Vaarwel!
(This has been posted late due to the cost of airport internet time and the lack of reliable internet in this particular Venetian hostel.)
I've arrived in Amsterdam after a nice flight on KLM. Schipol International Airport is large, but very nice. It should be considering I will be spending eight hours here. But there is nothing like an airport for people watching. This one happens to have good bird watching too as there is a nest in one of the speakers above me. I assume it is broken.
I have a limited amount of time, but what I can share now is the excitement of experiencing something different. I suppose if I were to sit in the international terminals in Chicago I would see just as many people from different countries, but there is a very important difference here-all of the annoucnements are in Dutch.
So lesson number one in Europe, in travel, and perhaps in life: Nothing is free. Perhaps, however, experience will bring greater benefits than recurring internet costs. For now I will wait for my next flight and enjoy everything I see.
Vaarwel!
(This has been posted late due to the cost of airport internet time and the lack of reliable internet in this particular Venetian hostel.)
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