La Dolce Vita

And so another day ends in this Tuscan city. I came to Italy not knowing quite what to expect. I've had plenty of time beforehand to ponder what it would actually be like. What I have discovered is the absolute sweet joy of everyday life ~ la dolce vita. It is the gift of time, il tempo libero, that Italy seems to have so much of which allows the chance to breath in every moment. This semi-sabbatical experience I am on (seeing as I am fortunate enough to only have my classes and little else) allows me the freedom in time. I am not locked into a schedule, only that of the day's adventure. It seems that this is the way Italians are as well. Even just walking down the street or having a meal is done at a leisurely pace, each moment to last seemingly forever. The pace of life here is something that I can definately get used to.

"Do not dwell on the past. Do not dream of the future. Concentrate the mind on the present moment" ~Buddha

With only one language, race, religion, and culture, Italy's widespread division is unexpected. Their unity as a country is rather recent, though; this year being only their 150th anniversary as a nation. Despite this "unification", the Northerners and the Southerners, the Sienese and Florentines have strong rivalries. Yet the Italians manage their differences with little violence in modern times. With so many different regions, the country has an eclectic flavor, with each region boasting with pride that they are above all others. They have progressed from hating one another to loving to hate one another, a subtle but significant distinction. As cultural engineers, the Italians transform even the fiercest of oppositions into extravagant celebrations of human passion.

This is seen especially in Siena, just south of Firenze. This is where the "Palio" is held biannually. This horserace is what the Sienese community lives for year around. The race is between the 17 "contrade", the different districts in the city. Each contrade is represented by first its horse, then the rider. The rivalries between the districts is intense, filled with bets against one another, alliances, all in the fight for the prize, the honor of winning accompanied by a banner of the Madonna. The riders, though, are not the stars. It is the horses that determine the race. Even if a rider-less horse wins the race first, they are victorious. The horses will join in on the feast with the contrade as well. The celebration of the Palio is enjoyed by everyone in Siena. It is a long standing tradition that the Sienese value dearly; it is not a show for tourists. They take the competition very seriously with each district of the city cheering fiercely for their representing horse and rider, hoping the others will take a tumble or lag behind for just a few precious moments. Even the streets of the city revolve around "Il Campo", the sea-shell-shaped piazza where the race takes place. Most streets lead down to the heart of Siena. The Sienese also have a fierce rivalry with Firenze, dating back hundreds of years. The Florentines and Sienese battled over their loyalty either with the Guelphs or the Ghibellines, those loyal to the Pope or the Holy Roman Empire respectively. The tension between Siena and Firenze is still felt today. Even our professor, a Florentine, boasts about the achievements and successes of his city in comparison to those of Siena. The Italians like being Italian, and more than that, they not only relish in the pride of their country, but it narrows down to their region and even their city. The Florentines love being from Florence and the Sienese would take no pleasure in living anywhere but Siena.

We took a day trip to Monteriggioni, Siena, and the nearby Casa di Machiavelli. Monteriggioni is a very small town trapped in the middle ages as it severed as a defensive fortification for Siena against Firenze. Even today it still has its walls surrounding the city and a feel of traveling back in time. After lunch there we headed to Siena and explored. The Duomo was quite impressive. The day we went was the birthday of the Madonna, a day in which the usually protected floors of the Duomo are uncovered to reveal carvings, mosaics and inlays. From the floors to the walls to the ceilings and pillars, nearly every inch of the interior was ornately decorated. It was extravagant, almost overwhelming to the senses.

“The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it” – Rudyard Kipling

Food, sewer, flowers, dog poop, b-o, smokers, leather; everything that is essential to the city and the culture within it. Well I guess the b-o isn't essential, but possibly just one of side effects of the mixture of really hot-humid weather and the tiny-tiny washing machines (at least in comparison to the deluxe ones in the states). Every other scent, though, helps to explain not only the history of the city, but also the people within it. While walking down the street the nose is continuously assaulted by the mixture of life within them. From the inevitable delightfulness that comes from a nearby kitchen or from a gelateria making fresh waffle cones, food is by far the most pleasant encounter. It is a expression of the pride Italians rightfully have of their culinary expertise. This will ultimately be overcome, sadly, by the intense body odor of someone who either is embracing their European-ness, does not know what deodorant is, or just hates doing laundry. The last excuse is understandable as I have come to learn. But I never quite expect the shocking stench that seems to waft off passersby all too commonly. Another unpleasant encounter is with the sewer. No description is needed here, but seriously, it concerns me a little. I would rather just enjoy being suddenly surrounded by the warm aroma of freshly baked bread or the girasoli, giant sunflowers, of a flower stand, while wandering the streets instead of being reminded that, yes, this city, as well as the plumbing, has been around for hundreds of years.

"Italy is not to be domesticated or made familiar. Italy remains intransigently foreign, exotic, a continuing revelation of strangeness and unexpected beauties"

If I had a daily food journal it would probably look something like starting my day with fruit, eggs and un caffè, then a panino, bread and cheese, maybe a caprese salad, followed by pasta and veggies with more bread. And of course gelato throughout. Oh, and anything with nutella too.

Noticeable fashion crazes:

Birkenstocks. Everyone of all ages loves these things, guys and girls; they all wear birks in every style possible.

Aladdin pants. They look super comfy.

A lot of girls wear jeans that look normal at first, but then you notice that they're super baggy. They fit the waist but the crotch area is crazy big, then they're normal again. Personally, I'm not too sure about those.

Uncommon food items: peanut butter, chocolate milk, milk in any size larger than a liter is nonexistent, bread made with salt, syrup (we sadly found this out when we made breakfast for dinner. Instead we used nutella, like true Italians, to top our french toast), and I haven't seen any popcorn yet.

Common food items: figs (they're just ending their season), cinghiale (wild boar), fegato (liver), mandorline (almonds), and of course nutella, pastas of all kinds, gelato, pizza, cheeses, all that good stuff.

As explained by Refugio (the go-to program leader who knows what seems like nearly everything we need to know about anything while we're here) the graffiti in Firenze is motivated either by emotional or political intentions. It's non uncommon to see multiple anarchist symbols within a few blocks joined by professions of love. And there is quite a bit of this throughout the city.