Illistrating Italy Part 2

Of Florence and Pisa
(Warning: This post will contain pictures of nude statues.  If you wish to avoid them, skip to the end after I cover Pisa)

Probably my favorite hotel of the whole Italy trip, the Da Vinci  was a lovely, modern hotel.

We had the fortune of being near the Duomo.

There were also a few other Churches we looked at.

On our second day in Florence bought train tickets to Pisa to see the leaning tower and surrounding buildings.

 

And now for the statues.

 This is just a replica of David, because I wasn't allowed to take pictures of the real David inside the museum.

And now for the two selfies taken in Florence and Pisa.

The most outrageous bar I've ever been to.  But I haven't really gone to bars so I am not sure if that counts for anything. 

Illistrating Italy Part 1

 For once I feel my words have failed me, and in my shame I have delayed writing this too long.  Instead, I'll pictures of my journey.  Here is Venice

We arrived on a beautiful day, as many days in Italy were, and set out soon to explore the city though we were hot from carrying our bags over bridges and tired from spending the night awake in anticipation. 

I love the layout of Venice, though it was difficult to navigate every bridge gave us new sights to see and Gondolas were around every turn.

"What news on the Rialto" (Shylock and Salanio, Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare). The largest Bridge in Venice has been home to shops for many years.  The items are expensive, but the location is iconic.

My favourite clock in all of Venice.  It is both true to the Italian/Roman style of having 24 hours marked on it, as well as the western zodiac signs.  It can be found in Saint Marco's Square.

A taste of the church in the Square, a taste I wish I had more of. 

 

"I summon thee, Saint Marco's Lion"  One of my favourite pictures.

 

  I suppose here is a good time tell you how I fell in love with Venice before I even stepped foot on Italian soil.  It began back in the third grade when I read an article on how Venice was sinking.  The idea of a city like Venice took root in my brain and never left.  Three school years later I was reading almost any book that passed into my hands, one of which was The Thief Lord. It was set in Venice, and it rekindled my love of the city I had never seen.  Around that time I also read the first Stravaganza book, City of Masks.  City of Masks is set in an alternate world Italy (Talia) around the 1500's.  I adore the Stravaganza series, and look forward to City of Swords, the next instalment. All this, along with the Thief Lord movie have encouraged my love of the city. Especially since in the movie San Marco's lion flies around the city.

 

 

Art work on the cluster of islands known as Murano.

 A sample of the different coloured houses on the islands of Burano, known for it's lace.

 Sunset on our last evening in Venice, overlooking the grand canal from the top of the Rialto, facing the direction of San Marco's square.  I feel like this picture high lights most of Venice because you can see the types of buildings, the gondolas, and the water buses.

On the morning of our departure we forked over some money and took a short gondola ride.  The experience was almost what I had hoped (there was no singing and it was not at sunset).

 

So, we left Venice for Florence, which will have to be delayed  some more since it is currently 12:30 and I have shopping to do in the morning. 



Fond Farewell

It seems strange that it is the middle of April and I am about to leave Harlaxton.  I've seen so many things, and at the same time I haven't seen everything I wanted to see.  I didn't get a chance to explore the Tower of London, although I've seen the Globe.

I'll be back to explore this place, eventually.

"All the world's a stage . . ." and other Shakespeare quotes.



I've spent time with a second set of parents, who made me feel very welcomed over Easter. 

 My British Mum and Dad, as opposed to my Biological Mom and Dad.

 The Easter Bunny found me this year!

My mum brought me to see Nottingham Castle, and what is a visit to Nottingham if you don't see Robin Hood.

I've not traveled everywhere I wanted to go, but that just makes me all the more determined to come back to Europe again (I am thinking in twenty years or so). However, I've made the most of my time here, discovering and trying new things.

 I've seen secret gardens that used to supply the entire Harlaxton household.

 And saw the giant cat that resided inside the walls.

 I've held a lamb, and seen an angry ewe determined to protect her babies.



I've made British S'mores (yes, there is a difference) and stood next to a giant bonfire.  The picture doesn't do it justice.

 I've seen the inside of the clock tower

 And the view from the roof

 Looking  out over the landscape of England's countryside.

 I've seen the bunker in the woods

And the messages past students have left.

 I've creeped on a wedding held here at Harlaxton.

 Made my hand-knitted bird a napkin nest.

 And realized Cadbury cream eggs have a resemblance to real eggs.

I've made it to Platform 9 3/4, but not the Harry Potter Studio tours.

But that is all coming to a close now.  A final and a few hours is all I have left here of Harlaxton, of England.  I'll return for a night between the 27th and the 28th, but I will not have another chance to go to a pub, ride the underground, or take pictures of England's statues.  I'll miss the sheep, the stairs, and the occasional drinking (especially the free wine served at nice dinners *wink*). 

I've made friends, and disconnected from friends.  I've learned a different way of holding my cutlery, and I now understand putting milk in tea.  Lift.  Trolley.  Coach.  Dinner is tea, but we don't have tea for dinner (we may have tea with dinner).  

So here we are.  Past the last British Studies Lecture (I felt a sense of British Patriotism, which is probably the opposite of American Patriotism), the Victory dinner, the ball, the London educational fieldtrip, and winter.  

 Harlaxton will always have a piece of me.  Or rather, "a part of us remains wherever we have been" ~ A fortune cookie.

Yes, we are the geeky ones playing on electronics the last night that we can drink at Harlaxton.

I know my adventures in This Old World are not over yet.  I still have ten days of Italy remaining before I return to America.  Even then, I plan to return some time in the future (hopefully before I turn 50) to see even more sights.  For now, however, I leave you with a few song lyrics.

"So long, so long and thanks / for all the fish" ~ Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.  No, really, thank you for the fish.  I actually enjoy the fish we were served with our chips (even if I did cover it in tartar sauce.

"Inch by inch and row by row / I'm gonna make this garden grow / all it takes is a rake and a hoe / and a piece of fertile ground.  /  Inch by inch and row by row / someone bless these seeds I sow / someone warm them from below / till the rains come toubling down." ~ The Garden Song - The Anthem of Harlaxton.  I'll miss you Harlaxton, but the seeds you have sown will one day bare fruit. 

Farewell until after I return to the states to post my final pictures and blog about Italy.  This old world has been kind to me, and I hope that the relationship between American and Europe continues to strengthen.

J.K. Clark