The One I Came For

Florence has a museum with hands-down the best collection of Italian Renaissance art in the world. The museum is called the Uffizi Gallery. If I saw nothing else in Florence, this is what I was coming for. Not just the Uffizi, but one painting in particular.

When I finally got to Florence, I read that you need reservations for the Uffizi, sometimes up to a month in advance. I'm pretty lucky so I thought maybe, just maybe, since I'm just one person I could squeeze in. At my hostel, the owner told me to show up at 7:30, they open at 8:15. I should have no problem getting in. He was right! I was so relieved. I would have considered my trip to Florence a total waste if I didn't get in the Uffizi. I have wanted to see THIS museum for ten years. "Why?", you're asking yourself, right? Well, I'll tell you.

Four reasons. Giotto, Cimabue, Duccio, and last but MOST IMPORTANTLY----Gentileschi! Artemisia, not Orazio!! The first three are 13th century Italian painters who all did their own versions of Madonna and Child Enthroned. They are wonderful examples for the lack of perspective on the cusp of the Renaissance. Gold gilt and huge, these three pieces represent the springboard of the "rebirth" of art and culture. I knew exactly where they are in the galleries before I walked in and headed straight for them. As I entered the room, I got chills! I couldn't believe I was standing in the same room with ALL THREE of them!!!! I thought I was going to throw up. I thought I was going to pass out!!! I didn't want to leave the room!

As I wandered through the many, many galleries of losers like Michelangelo and Boticelli (yes, I saw the Birth of Venus), da Vinci, etc., I saw they had a Durer room, too! I love Durer but that room was disappointing. They really didn't have nuch Durer. I guess I need to go back to Germany for that.

So here's the thing...I have a horrible memory. If you know me, you know this fact. I KNEW that I had to go to the Uffizi although I couldn't remember exactly what it was I wanted to see. After Giotto and Cimabue I really couldn't think straight. Then it hit me. ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!

Quick art history lesson: Artemisia was the daughter of a pretty decent artist in late 16th/early 17th c. Italy, Orazio. Artemisia showed a lot of talent as a painter. Even though girls weren't really allowed to paint in those days (not very lady-like, right??) Orazio let her work in the studio of another Italian painter. Well the man ended up raping her and she brought public charges against him (imagine the nerve!). It turned into a nasty public trial where Artemisia was tortured until she told the "TRUTH" about how it never happened.

Now about the painting: Judith Slaying Holofernes is a very common story in art of this era. But the difference is Gentileschi's treatment of the subject. Almost every other Judith I've seen has this dainty little Judith cutting off Holofernes' head like she's slicing bread. There's no power, no emotion. Gentileschi's Judith means business! She and her maid are holding him down after waking him from his sleep. He's trying to struggle against them but Judith is on a mission. Knowing the anger and frustration Gentileschi must have felt toward the man who raped her and the justice system that ruined her, one can imagine how much she needed to express her rage.

I don't know why I have always been so drawn to this painting. I like the style, where it looks like there is a source of light somewhere out of the frame. I like the fact that Artemisia got credit for her work when most women painters were laughed at. I like the fact that she wasn't afraid to show a strong woman doing the job to save her village. I hope you like it, too. It's the one I came for.

A funny thing happened on the way to Florence...

Ok well not that funny but I'll tell you more about that in a bit...

Let's back up a couple of days:
On Friday night I arrived in Pordenone, Italy and was picked up at the train station by my friend, Lyn. Lyn works for the military and is TDY at Aviano Air Base in Aviano, Italy. She graciously offered me her couch for two nights. On Saturday we slept in then took a train into Venice. Lyn had already been to Venice once a few weeks ago (where her son proposed to his girlfriend!) and knew her way around so it was really nice to have someone who knows what they're doing. The whole day I just kept thinking, awestruck, and sometimes aloud, "I cannot believe I am in Venice." We hung around until after dark so we could see the place lit up at night. It was so magical and beautiful! We stood on Saint Mark's Square listening to an orchestra play music. We stood because it costs big bucks to sit and have a drink or food :) The orchestra played one of my favorite pieces of music, Nessun Dorma, while we stood there. It was probably one of the top ten moments of my life! As we started to leave the square and head back to the car, I asked Lyn to give me just a moment. I wanted to have one last look, one more minute in this place and time, one last chance to etch this scene onto my long-term memory. Visiting Venice was another life-long dream fulfilled... and it was perfect.

So here's the "funny" part:
This morning we did some errands including going to the grocery store on base. I am in love with European bread so I wanted to get a loaf and make a sandwich or two for my train ride down to Florence. Lyn drove me to the train station in Pordenone and dropped me at the front of the building. I went inside to make a reservation for the second half of my trip (because it was mandatory) and learned that there is a train-workers' strike today and the first train I was supposed to take wasn't even coming!!! Lyn had already left the station but I called her and she came back. This sweet lady drove me down to Venice so I could make the second train!

The saga continues...the train I wanted to be on was full so I booked another train. Then that train was soooo late that I got on the WRONG TRAIN going in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION thinking I had gotten on the right train! It took me about an hour before I realized my mistake and turned around and came back to Venice. Once there I found the schedule for the train I needed to catch next and walked to the platform. Deserted. The train wasn't coming. Geez!

So long story short, I am updating my blog from a hotel room in Venice tonight. I was so tired and hot and frustrated that I decided to throw today's budget to the wind and relax and forget about this terrible day. I am laying across the bed eating the sandwich I made this afternoon and using the Wi-Fi offered by the hotel. Now don't get me wrong...I'm stranded, but I'm stranded in Venice, Italy. It could be a lot worse!

More pictures from Croatia

Per Gunnar gave me a good idea to not even try to blog with pictures but rather just do a blog that is ONLY pictures...so here ya go. Pictures from Croatia!

Hungary!

THESE ARE PICTURES FROM CROATIA!! I AM RUNNING A CITY BEHIND!!!!!!

Wow I have been in Budapest for almost a week now and I gotta tell ya, this is an "INTERESTING" place. I've seen things here I thought were only Eastern European cliches. But this whole trip is about having a meaningful learning experience so I will take it all in stride and laugh at the oddities for what they are.

I really have learned a lot on this trip. There is so much I want to do differently when I get home. From Norway: I want to eat much better bread. I may never buy sliced bread off the shelf anymore! From Germany: Manuela taught me how to make an amazing Italian dish. Now I really want to learn how to cook more! From Budapest: Elena has some of the most wonderful homemade preserves from Moldova. I want to learn how to make jams and jellies. I know it's not that hard, we used to do it all the time when I was younger. Amsterdam: I want to learn how to knit. A guy I met gave me some shoes his mom knit as part of her physical therapy after she broke her wrists. Now I want to make some, too!

I have also met a lot of of teachers on my travels. I am trying to collect ideas as I talk with all of them along the way. I have some really good and creative ideas for my classroom. I only hope my administrators appreciate my enthusiasm for engaging my students..HA HA HA!!

As of today, I have twelve more days before I go home. In some ways, I am SOOOO ready. You all know (if you've been reading my blog) how much I miss Peyton. And I've been moving from country to country and house to hostel and train to train for five weeks. I'm starting to get a little burned out now...BUT, tomorrow I leave for ITALY!!! I am extremely excited. I feel pretty certain, though, that I will have to come back to spend more time here in the future. It only cements my belief that i need to get a job teaching Advanced Placement European or World History so I can coordinate the summer trips overseas for students who want to study/travel abroad. IT WILL HAPPEN!

P.S. I apologize for not posting more pictures on my blog, but putting them on here is such a pain! I promise that once I get home I will share them ALL with you in whatever format you prefer :)

New post, quick update

I feel much better today and for the past few days. Of course I still miss P terribly but it's better than it was the other day! I was seriously ready to head for the airport. Budapest is a cool, strange place but I am having a very pleasant stay with Elena. More later!

Crying like a baby

I was just on Facebook and noticed that Stacy (my sister for those of you who don't know) posted some pictures from the vacation that my family is on right now. There are a few pictures of Peyton, including one where she is on the phone with me. I haven't seen her face in weeks and seeing it just made me fall apart. I'm sitting on the couch in a hostel in Budapest waiting for my laundry to get done and crying my eyes out!! I'm sure I must look ridiculous but I don't care! I knew I would miss her when I decided to take this trip but I cannot believe how much I am feeling right now. I have consistently held to the principles of this trip: 1) it's worth doing even if it means being away, and 2) she's fine. I know these things to be true but it always amazes me how much you can love a child. And mine is AWESOME. I want to go home so badly right now.

Hello from Croatia!...although most of this post is about Germany LOL

It's Thursday night here in Split, Croatia and I am leaving for Budapest in the morning. I have been on such a whirlwind tour that I needed to get down to the beach for a few days. Now that I am tan and happy again, I will give you an update! I promised Mette I would blog tonight, too :)

After Amsterdam I went to Munich, Germany. I was Couchsurfing there and I had the most wonderful host. Her name is Manuela and she is Austrian but she has lived and traveled all over the world. She is in incredible cook, too. She kept cooking healthy food, vegetables and stuff that I don't eat, but it was so good!! I met a girl on the train platform when I was leaving Amsterdam. Her name is Molly and she is legally blind. She was traveling alone all around Europe like me but her story is more inspiring. She was Couchsurfing, too, but her host was working a lot so she hung out with Manuela and me most of the time.

A couple days after I got to Munich, it really started hitting me how much I miss Peyton. I always think about her and I call her everyday but I got to the sad, crying stage. I know I can go home any time. All it takes is a phone call to the airline and I can be home in a matter of hours. I also know I would never forgive myself if I gave up and went home. As of tomorrow I will have been gone four weeks. I am having an amazing trip and I will probably never get the opportunity to do this again. But even if I do, I will take Peyton with me. I don't plan on ever being away from her for this long again!

On a lighter note, I am enjoying my time in Croatia. I have spent the last two days on a couple of beautiful beaches and now I'm ready to get back to touristy stuff! Everyone I talk to says Budapest is incredible. I will be staying with Elena Dimitrova, one of Nicole's exchange students from about five years ago. Oh, that reminds me...while I was in Munich I also met up with another of Nicole's exchange students, Jackie. We had breakfast the morning I left. It was good to see her again.

Well, I'm off to bed. I have a 7:30 train in the morning!