Florence, Italy

With a group of friends (the largest group I’ve traveled with so far), I rolled into Florence, Italy this weekend. It turned out to be three days of art in 3 awesome expressions. Not only were we visiting the birthplace of the Renaissance to see sculptures and paintings, but we also came to enjoy Michael Buble’s impressive musical talents, as he was putting on a concert during our time there.

It’s much too difficult to rank the three forms of artistry and talent I saw and heard on this trip, so I’ll cover them chronologically. The first stop was the Academia, home of some of Michelangelo’s unfinished sculptures, and, most importantly, his well-known David. After seeing the unfinished works, you gain a greater image of the work as a finished piece and the emotion that goes into extracting a figure from a block of marble. The power of David in the room is simply overwhelming. He is so big, well-polished, obviously toiled over, and utterly awe-inspiring. The musculature of his body is toned, the marble so smooth and flawless, and it seemed as if his blood was coursing through his veins as we looked up to his detailed hands, neck, head, and captivating face. To try and grasp the full impact and importance of this piece of artwork is close to impossible. I found it hard enough to think about the years, the frustrations, and the pressures of imagining, creating, and completing such a work. David was amazing, and difficult to effectively describe the genius of Michelangelo. I think that those who marvel at such a masterpiece can’t help but better imagine the love and individual attention God puts into creating each of us. Also, the fact that God would care so much to foster the artistic development in Michelangelo to give him the talent to sculpt such a beautiful piece is awesome too. I could have stared at David much longer than I did this weekend, and although the pictures of him in textbooks are clear and detailed, they fall far short to seeing in person this enormous, confident, calm, and beautiful sculpture in the Academia.

The Uffizi also had much to offer, but Botticelli’s detail in the foliage of La Primavera really was intricate and deliberate, making it the most memorable piece of art in the Uffizi to gaze at. It was amusing to walk through this huge museum, passing by hundreds of works of art, and finding myself doing double-takes when I came upon works that we had studied in our Western Civilization class. Not only do the pieces take on that much more importance for me, but they are many times more interesting when you know the background of the artist and the story and symbolism in the painting.

Finally, we attended the Michael Buble concert, and I was again (this was my second of his concerts) thoroughly impressed by the sheer musicianship of this charming modern-day crooner. It was his “Call Me Irresponsible” tour, and he also played and sang some old favorites too. We rushed up to the stage front for the encore songs, and listened to his a cappella piece of Song for You to finish it up. What a way to end a great performance! He’s just such a talented artist, with perfect pitch, and a real passion for his music. The band behind him was made up of just as accomplished musicians, and that too was a treat to hear. I loved how we grooved on stage with the beat and how several times throughout the concert I caught myself beaming ear to ear. I did have a gaping hole, though, in my experience, because my fellow Michael Buble diehard fan was not with me. Her squeals and utter excitement were missed; Jenica, I hope we can see Michael in concert together some time soon; it wasn’t the same without you!
Nevertheless, I managed to soak in the tunes and enjoy the concert in Florence. All in all, a cultural and artistic weekend, but I’m happy to be reporting from smaller, cleaner, more peaceful Lausanne.

Until next weekend (I’m headed to the Alps!),
JoAnne

Michael's version of I've Got the World On a String:

Salt Mine

Today we visited the Salt Mines of Bex about 45 minutes from Lausanne. It was especially neat because these mines are still functioning and selling salt today. The miners each morning take the same train that we rode into the mountain to see the galleries.

We were able to hear about the history and the back-breaking work (chiseling out tunnels by hand, carrying out loads of rocks 50 kg in a wooden backpack) that went into extracting this valuable mineral from the earth. The trip was enjoyable and interesting to see the insides of a mountain from a rickety miniature train (see photo below).

Strasbourg, Brussels, Metz

Our Educational Field Trip (a special trip planned by our directors for the entire group) was very politically charged. A majority of the time, we were in presentations at various European Union buildings. We listened to spokespeople at the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, and the European Commission, the latter two directly associated with the EU itself. Quite complex, and somewhat overwhelming, we learned about the goals and origins of these European institutions.

Although it was good to be exposed to the organization of the European community, I personally enjoyed other parts of the trip much better. Strasbourg, for one, was the first French city I’d ever visited, and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the old parts of the city (despite the touristy section) and listening to the history of the city and cathedral from our tour guide. There was one pointed moment that I remember in Strasbourg as I stood in the square in front of the Notre Dame, in the shadow of the high Gothic tower and peered into a cobble-stoned back street, serenaded by an accordion player in which I felt the joy of travel, the satisfaction found in soaking up new and invigorating sights, acknowledging (and understanding) the French language surrounding me, and basking in the European midday autumn sun. In discovering and coming upon so many cathedrals, wandering the streets of many a city and town, I am finding it is essential to record and remember each city for these specific and unique moments, lest all the trips I take blend into one.

Brussels, on the other hand, felt disjointed without a real identity of its own, and because of that patchwork, I disliked it. As we drove through the streets, sections of town were designed by past rulers trying to emulate other Western European city plans such as London and Paris. The center of town was dominated by modern EU buildings and other offices. Old town was interesting, but I felt that the size of the city, and the lack of unity in the town identified well with Belgium itself because we learned that the country is dealing with a lack of government right now, and also struggling with a division between North and South, creating problems riddled with language issues, and various opinions on political structure. We did enjoy fries and Belgian waffles, but all in all, I much prefer other European cities to this one.

The final stop on our trip was Metz, France, a small French town with another Cathedral and rich history, as it was the military stronghold for German, French, and Roman soldiers in the past.

The 50-person coach ride was fun too, as we went from destination to destination, watching the French, Luxembourg, and Belgian countryside pass by. The most surprising parts of the road trip, though, were the elaborate and expansive middle-of-nowhere rest stops we came upon. These stop-offs were equipped with fully stocked convenience stores, cafeterias, gift shops, and were pretty impressive, and we all looked forward to eating at these places on our way to the next city. As we neared home at the end of the week, we were able to witness a gorgeous sunset that painted the mountains pink and purple; a great way to end another journey and welcome us back to Lausanne and the beauty that is Switzerland.

Ruti

Ruti is a town of 11,000 about 15 minutes by train east of Zurich in the Swiss German part of the country. I was well taken care of by my Swiss family, the Jakobs, all weekend long. I know this family because Werner Jakob came to stay with my dad’s family as an exchange student in 1969. Our families have stayed in touch and Werner’s kids (Mat, Christoph, and Barbara), now all grown, have visited and spent time with our family over the years. Now, I am finally able to do a short-term US-Swiss exchange! It’s a blessing to have them nearby, and I really did feel at home there in Ruti.

In our time there, Robin and I were served wonderfully prepared, fresh, authentic Swiss meals (Alplermaccaroni, Raclette, fruit pies), and were even able to hike in the Alps! I think that my favorite part of the weekend was stepping over mud puddles, scaling boulders in a rock field, and following the white and red painted stripes marking our hiking path through tundra-like grassy plains before finally reaching the top of a 2262 meter-high point called Chaserrugg. This summit was quite impressive; we could see much from the top. From the viewpoint, Christoph and Mat pointed out the Austrian, Liechtenstein, German, and Swiss mountains that surrounded us. In addition to the breathtaking sights of the Alps, we could also peer down on the valley we came from, those green and peaceful valleys littered with chalets and windows sills brimming with healthy geraniums. Our hike began after riding two quad chairlifts up the mountainside. Eventually, we set out along a path that covered different terrains, climbed several hundred meters in altitude, and curved around a plateau that served as a destination of yet another ski lift. The October weather still was warm, perfect for our day trip, and luckily, the snow at the 1000-2000 meter level still wasn’t on the ground. The sun even brought out a soaring eagle, which beautifully floated on the high mountain gusts so effortlessly.

Although the mountains were semi-enveloped in a fog creating a fog lake or “sea of fog,” direct translation of the German word for the view we saw from the summit, it surely was a phenomenal sight to see. I have determined that some time in my life I’d like to live in the Alps, or at least nearby a mountain range of this intensity; it’s just so awesome, and so peaceful. Although this may not ever become a reality, I like to dream, and pick out places like the picture below in which to live, at least for a summer some day.
Although this short description is just a small part of my weekend, it was the most memorable.
Jakob Family: Thanks for a refreshing and fun weekend!!

Want to see more pictures from the hiking trip and the other excursions we took that weekend (afternoon in Zurich, a walk to Rapperswil)? Check out the photo album!

Barcelona

Hola! I was able to visit the great city of Barcelona this past weekend, and encountered a different mindset in the people we met, tried to learn a few words in a new language, and enjoyed a warmer climate! I’d have to say one of the highlights of the trip was aboard our rented bikes as we wove in and out of Vespas, and avoided taxi cabs on our excursion through the city. With a trusty city map, Robin (my friend/travel partner/Spanish language translator) and I set out to see the sights of this metropolis, from the shores of the Mediterranean and yachts of Port Vell, to the parks and wide-sweeping boulevards lined with beautiful Gothic churches, modernistic buildings, and specially marked bike lanes (with our own stoplights and crosswalks).

In this waterfront city situated in Catalonia, Spain, we beheld the architectural masterpieces of Alberti Gaudi, and enjoyed the wonderful and colorful mosaics that adorned several of his buildings, artfully scattered throughout the city (creating a fun little treasure hunt for us on our bikes and in our walks around town).

One thing that we did have to adapt to was the difference in the layout of the day. The Spanish time schedule is much more laid back than the typical Swiss day, and although we failed to participate in the daily siesta during our stay there, we did manage to adhere to the correct meal times and opted to indulge in the seafood specialties of the region. Our first culinary encounter was at a restaurant about two blocks from the Sagrada Familia (Gaudi’s famous, but not yet finished, sandcastle-like church), where we decided to order the “menu del dia” and try whatever came to the table. My little barat fish was really tasty, and the spinach/onion/potato casserole first course wasn’t bad either. With Barcelona’s proximity to the Mediterranean, the seafood was awesome. That night, although we also wanted to try tapas, various appetizers popular in several of the local eateries, we thoroughly enjoyed the Paella Marisco (a seafood & seasoned rice dish, that, if I even attempted to describe it, would fall so far short, that it’s just better to recommend that you go to Spain and get a pan of it for yourself).

Anyway, Barcelona was an interesting town to uncover, and I really would like to return to Spain sometime soon. Adios for now!

More pictures can be found in my photo album link in the right-hand column.

Approaching the Arc de Triumf

360 of Port Vell