LEAH HELEN

13 July 2010

HR and BiH

When it comes to natural beauty, Croatia takes the cake. I don't care if it sounds cliché-- I think Dubrovnik is the most beautiful place I've ever visited. The Adriatic Sea is gorgeous and is surrounded by mountains so that the water almost looks like a lake.

On my first day in port, I walked with Katie and Bonnie to the Old Town and we walked along the city walls. From the walls you can see the entire town of white buildings roofed in terra cotta tiles framed by the sapphire ocean. In the afternoon we took a bus to a beach called Copacabana. I had to get used to the idea of rocky beaches, but it's kind of nice not coming home at the end of the day with sand in your ears and belly button.

The next morning I took a day trip into Mostar, a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is about a 3 hour bus ride from Dubrovnik. I visited a traditional Turkish home where I left my shoes at the door, and I went inside a mosque. I also walked across the Stari Most (Old Bridge.) The original bridge was destroyed during the war in 1993, and it is now restored and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After the tour, I enjoyed a big lunch and some shopping before heading back to Croatia.

On the third day, I went on a snorkeling excursion with SAS. Our group was a small one and instead of being picked up in a bus, we hopped onto a boat that was blasting techno music just outside the ship. The boat took us to a hotel resort, where Katie and I spent 2 hours relaxing on blue and white striped beach chairs. Then we got on another boat that took us to an island where I snorkeled for over an hour in the cold, clear water. I took lots of pictures of the sea urchins and fish that were feeding on the rocks below me. It was the most relaxing and fun trip I've done so far.

That afternoon Katie and I set out to find a place called Cafe Buza in the Old Town. Along the way we ran into our neighbors and some other friends that were looking for the same place, so we all went searching together. We found it-- and I did what I went there to do: cliff diving. (Mom- this just means jumping off a cliff, nobody actually dives in) I was so scared to jump and my legs were still shaking for ten minutes after I climbed back up. But it was a lot of fun, and I'm glad that I went for it and didn't chicken out.

After a cold shower in which I rinsed the layer of salt from my skin, a big group of us went into the Old Town for the opening night of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. The city was lit up like a car dealership, and there were fireworks in the sky. People were out and about in their best evening attire, and live music was blaring from restaurants on every street. My friends and I ended the evening at a beach club called EastWest, where I met a group of people from Wales. It was the perfect way to spend my last night in Dubrovnik.

On Sunday I took another trip into Herzegovina, but this time I went to a small village called Medugorje. This area became the second most visited Catholic pilgrimage sight after six kids saw the Virgin Mary in 1981. I think I deserve some sort of honorary Catholic award since I've now been to the Vatican City and Medugorje. We climbed up Apparition Hill, which was more of a climb than I was expecting as evident from my dress and Birkenstock sandals.

I ate lunch with a new group of friends, and we caught the last 15 minutes of a Mass service. I walked into souvenir shop after souvenir shop, each of them sold the same thing-- there seriously must have been at least a million rosaries and Virgin Mary figurines in this tiny town. Before we left I stopped in a cafe for coffee and dessert, and I tried the most delicious pancakes that were filled with rich nutella.

Dubrovnik is a unique and captivating city. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people who spoke English, especially since the only Croatian word I know is zdravo (hello.) It was interesting to revisit some of the history that I learned about in my classes, and to gain different perspectives by visiting two neighboring countries. I can now say that I have been to a nation that is technically younger than I am-- Croatia celebrates its 20th birthday next year. I also learned that Croatia is where the necktie and Dalmatian dog come from (the region we stayed in is called Dalmatia.) Who knew?

Well I'm off to brush up on my Greek. Tomorrow morning we dock in Piraeus.

10 July 2010

Independence Day

July 4:

This morning, I hiked Mount Vesuvius. This volcano looked very different from the two I climbed in Nicaragua, probably because Vesuvius erupted only 70 years ago. The weather was cool and sunny, and the hike was a fairly easy one. I enjoyed the picturesque landscape and noticed the contrast between the harsh volcanic rock and the soft pink and yellow wildflowers growing through its cracks.

When we got back from the hike, Bonnie and I caught the last afternoon ferry to Capri. On the ride over we met two new friends, Noel and Erica, who we spent the day hanging out with. Once we got to the island, we bought a ticket to see the Blue Grotto. We took a boat over to the other side of the island. I soaked in the sun and admired the gorgeous blue water. When we arrived at the grotto, we had to wait for little row boats to pick us up. The entrance into the cave is about 3-4 feet tall and can only be reached by swimming or row boat. While we were waiting, we heard angry shouting from the Italian workers. I looked over to the grotto, and saw one of the rowers emerge from the entrance with his head and shoulder gushing in blood! I could not understand why they were so mad at him except that the accident was making all of the tourists scared to go in. When I looked around and saw the faces of the other passengers, I realized I was right. I was more terrified to enter the cave than I ever have been waiting in a rollercoaster line.

But the four of us hopped into the tiny row boat, payed the fee, and ducked way down so we wouldn't hit our heads on the rock as the other man did. The inside of the Blue Grotto was awesome. The water is a bright blue, created by natural light. Unfortunately, we only had a few moments to enjoy its beauty before being squeezed back through the opening and asked for more money. The Blue Grotto is certainly a sight worth seeing, but it is also a tourist trap. If I could go back, I would have rented a boat for the day with my friends and swum in on my own.

After relaxing on a beach that was covered in stones and swimming around in the beautiful Tyrrhenian Sea, we ran into clusters of SAS students. We ate dinner together, and then celebrated the Fourth of July on the beach which was vacant this time. We toasted to America and sang the National Anthem. Yeah, we were those obnoxious Americans.

July 5:

Today I had a FDP (Faculty Directed Practica) visit to Mustilli winery in Sant' Agata dei Gotti. This quaint town was not used to a huge group of visitors, so I felt like part of a parade as we walked to the winery. The two daughters of the owner of this family business showed us around the outside and took us down into the chilly cellar. Students from four different classes (entrepreneurship, consumer behavior, family business, & international marketing) asked questions and our tour guide translated for us. I learned about the wine industry in Italy and how big brand supermarkets and new technologies are creating stiff competition for this century old winery. Fortunately, the Mustilli family has many loyal customers and restaurants that appreciate their old fashioned techniques and superior quality. When the interview was complete, we went upstairs to sample some of the wine- best field trip ever.

Our bus returned early, so Bonnie and I decided to explore Naples. At first glance (and maybe second or third), Naples is an unattractive, nitty gritty city. But legend says that it is the birthplace of pizza and mozzarella, so I set out, determined to find the best pizza in all of Naples. I wrote down the name of the place that Samantha Brown from the Travel Channel went to on her stay in Naples. The restaurant which has been operating since 1870 is called Da Michele, and when we arrived there were at least 20 people standing and waiting outside. Apparently this establishment comes highly recommended by Rick Steve, every travel book, and the novel Eat Pray Love. We took our number and waited at least 40 minutes, but it was so worth it! I ordered a normal Margherita pizza and a Coca-Cola Light. The pizza was indescribably good. Bonnie and I each had an entire one for ourselves. Naples would not rank high on my list of recommended destinations, but if you want to try the best pizza in Italy, and are willing to look a little harder to find beauty then you just might discover the unexpected. I did and I don't regret it.

I think if countries could be soul mates, Italy would be mine. I have loved everything about it-- the people, the food, the coffee, the architecture, the fashion, the wine, and the laid back lifestyle. There's no way I could have seen it all in only a week. There are still so many places I want to see-- Cinque Terra, Milan, Venice, Florence, and Pisa. I will just have to come back one day.

"What is the fatal charm of Italy? What do we find there that can be found nowhere else? I believe it is a certain permission to be human, which other places, other countries, lost long ago." --Erica Jong

06 July 2010

My Roman Holiday

There's nothing better than being young and foolish and waking up and realizing you are in Rome. My friends and I stayed four nights at Albergo del Sole, an inexpensive hotel located right in Campo de' Fiori. The rooms were simple and lacked air conditioning, but they had an incredible view from a large window with doors and shutters. From this window, I could enjoy all things Italian: pretty old buildings with shutters and flowers in window boxes, tiny cars, women walking along the cobblestone street in designer heels, and men in Italian suits revving up their Vespas. If I eavesdropped, I could pretend to understand the conversation of locals at a nearby cafe. Grazie. Prego. I could hear the clinking of wine glasses, a whistled tune, loud laughter, a clarinet, and a saxophone.

I explored the major sights:

the Musei Capitolini
the Spanish Steps
the Pantheon
the Coliseum
the Vatican (3 times)
the Mouth of Truth
the Trevi Fountain

A great thing about Rome is that you can walk everywhere. I only had to take 2 taxis during my entire stay- one to the hotel & one to the termini. Our hotel was in a great location. During the morning and afternoon, Campo de' Fiori is home to a market of locally grown produce. One morning I bought strawberries so delicious that they actually melted in my mouth. In the evening the fruit and vegetable stands clear out, and the piazza becomes the perfect place for dining and nightlife.

The food in Italy exceeded my expectations, which were pretty high to begin with. We made multiple visits to our favorite pizzeria and gelateria. A local Roman pointed us to the "best pizza in Rome," which was just down the street from Albergo del Sole. We ate at Baffetto on two occasions, splitting the thin crusted pizzas and sharing a liter of the red house wine. The best gelato I tasted in Italy can be found at San Crispino, just a block or two from the Trevi Fountain. My friends and I made a visit to this award-winning, hole-in-the-wall gelato shop everyday. The coffee, no matter where I tried it, was ten times better than anything I could order at a Starbucks in the US. I guess this might explain why I never saw a single Starbucks while in Italy. I tried all sorts of coffees-- the cappuccino, cafe latte, espresso, and latte macchiato. All delicious!

I loved roaming the small streets of Rome, and discovering shops and cafes. We found this little glass shop that made Murano glass and had a huge basement filled with the most beautiful handblown dishes, vases, and lamps. We also found a wood shop that makes adorable toys and cuckoo clocks. You can even purchase your very own Pinocchio puppet there. The shopping in Italy is awesome-- they are all about the fashion. I admired the leather jackets, handbags, and shoes. I jumped on the Birkenstocks bandwagon with my friends, and bought a red pair for the trip.

When in Rome one should do as the Romans do. On my last night in Rome, I did as the Spanish do and stayed up way too late. I went out with Bonnie and Andrea in Campo de' Fiori, and we met people from all corners of the world. We even met two Italians named-- are you ready for this?-- Mario and Luigi. But I think that my favorite memories in Rome are the ones I shared with new friends, whether over a leisurely dinner or on the lovely rooftop of our hotel. The rooftop had a view of the cutest courtyard below and the steeple of a church overhead. I'll always remember laughing and telling stories with a dozen of my new SAS friends, and thinking "life can't get better than this."