Weeeeee!

Today was our last full day in Rome, which made the day bittersweet for us. We tried to pack as much in to our schedule as possible.  Before heading out to research our respective disciplines (our passions) we began the day with a little excitement . . .  a scooter ride around the Colosseum and throughout the streets of Rome.  Weaving in and out of traffic was so fun!  And, the Romans didn’t seem to hate us for disrupting the flow of traffic!

There was much to accomplish today.  Once our joy ride was over, we took off on foot.  Galleria Borghese, once the home of a wealthy citizen of Rome, offered 4 beautiful sculptures by Bernini.  One “unfinished” piece still bore the charcoal “study” lines the artists made over 400 years ago.  Remarkable.  Learning the true story behind Caravaggio’s painting, David and Goliath, completely altered the way I view his work.  I grew so excited about the story I searched the room for other English-speaking museum goers to share my new information with (as only a teacher would do).   Later in the day we made our way to a church that was just 2 blocks from our hotel, the Saint Maria Della Vittoria, where we stood in awe before yet another Bernini piece, The Ecstasy of St. Teresa.

After enjoying some time in Borghese Park, we made our way to the foot of the Spanish Steps and on to the Via Condotti.  This road is known for its countless haute couture fashion houses.   Heather stalked Valentino one of her favorite designers. We tried to get into his Museum and Couture house but were told it was not open on Saturdays.  Not to be disappointed we strolled (with thousands of others) into the next Couture houses which was Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Jimmy Choo just to name a few.

Tomorrow afternoon we will begin our long journey home.  But before we do, we will make 2 final stops: 1) a fashion photography exhibition by artist Helmut Newton in which the artist is said to perfectly marry fashion with art, and 2) one final stop for gelato!  We have absolutely enjoyed every moment of this remarkable, educational journey.  With every step we have breathed a sigh of thanksgiving for the gift of God's grace and this once in a lifetime experience.  Thank you Fund for Teachers!

Ciao!

Primo Bacio

Today was a special day, somewhat of a pilgrimage in fact.  We walked in the steps of Julius Caesar and Christian leaders of our faith including Peter, Paul and Silas.  As we visited the Roman Colosseum, Palatino Hill and the walk to Capitol Hill we were amazed at the visual evidence of worlds colliding. I (Heather) was really excited to walk the same path as Caesar the day he was assassinated and see the spot where he was warned “Beware the Ides of March”. In my opinion, Julius Caesar was an intelligent ruler and personified the greatness of Rome. While walking through the Forum we discussed how uncomfortable it must have been for Romans to wear heavy togas in such hot weather.  We were also able to walk thru the Mamertine Prison where Peter was held captive for his outspoken faith. We viewed the column he was chained to and the hole in the ceiling where he was lowered to his prison cell. While in prison a fountain sprang up in his cell where Peter would baptize his jailors once they converted to Christianity. It was moving to actually walk through this prison and see the same fountain that is still there today.  My faith was strengthened by this experience.

We also viewed the architectural beauty of the Pantheon.  It is interesting to think that this building was the foundation for our very own Southern Plantations of the South.  An interesting surprise was learning that Renaissance artist Raphael chose to be buried in this beautiful ancient work of art.

After an enchanting dinner near the Pantheon, we toured Rome by car and found ourselves lured by the charm of the city.  We made our way to the highest hill for a beautiful view of the Roman skyline, which Romans affectionately call “Primo Bacio”, (pronounced “pree-mo ba-shyo”) translated “first kiss”.  The hill has been given this name because it is said to be the most romantic spot in the city. 

We ended the evening by returning to the Colosseum for a view of the night sky juxtaposed against the lit arches of the Colosseum.  As we conclude our second day in this city we have come to learn that Rome does not disappoint.

Italian Blessings

Our day began with a trip to Vatican City.  Our schedule for the day was packed.  Every moment was perfectly planned.  However, our first stop in Rome’s Metro made time stand still.  Somehow, as we were stepping on the train, Heather managed to fall between the platform and the train trapping one leg between the two.  Andrea screamed!  (I thought Heather had fainted.  But no, she simply fell.)  The miracle is not that she escaped without losing her leg.  Oh no, the true miracle is that her snow, white jeans were not marred in the fall. Thankfully an Italian man on the train pull quickly pulled her to safety just moments before the train doors closed.

Our plan for the Vatican was to view art that celebrates Christian faith specifically from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.  Our expectations were exceeded in every way.  St. Peter’s Basilica is the richest and most impressive Church on earth filled with works by Michelangelo, Bernini and countless other masters of art throughout history.  The Sistene Chapel, just steps away, was awe-inspiring.  It was amazing to learn that the restoration process, that brought Michelangelo’s vibrant colors back to life, was never touched by another artist’s paintbrush.  However, the highlight of our trip was an underground, excavation tour of St. Peter’s Basilica.  We had to book the tickets 3 months in advance in order to be a part of such a special tour.  Our guide shared rich knowledge regarding the ancient, hidden city.  She spoke of Constantine (A.D. 312) and his appreciation for Peter’s sacrifice for the faith.  We were surprised to hear of how Constantine chose to properly burry the body of Peter (over 300 year’s after his crucifixion) by dressing him in garments of gold and purple to symbolize royalty.  We saw monuments that dated back to A.D. 54.  We viewed mosaic creations of worlds gone by and stood in awe at the skill of artistry that has been preserved for 2,000 years.  Most moving was viewing the Christian Graffiti Wall that marked the burial place of St. Peter.

We ended our day with delicious Italian pizza at restaurant that was once a small church.  This was our first meal in which ICE was served with our drinks since our European journey began.  To say we were excited is an understatement.  We spent the evening enjoying the company of friendly locals who walked us to the Trivi Fountain where we tossed coins over our shoulders to insure our return to Rome.

Art, Shoes and Shopping

Well, this trip has been educational in more ways than one.  For instance, our time in Florence began later than expected (and cost more) due to the fact that we boarded the wrong train out of Venice. We can safely say that this little mishap was definitely NOT our fault. 

Once we FINALLY arrived in Florence, yesterday evening, we first visited Acedamia where Michelangelo’s David is housed.  In fact, the Acedamia was specifically built to house the David. This piece offers hope and confidence through FAITH to millions from around the world.  As many museums do, the Acedamia has a no camera policy; but, that did not stop Heather.  The picture below was snapped moments before she was taken away by security and thrown to the streets.  Great work Heather!  I (Andrea) have taught about this piece for years and was moved to tears to stand before it.  After I lifted Heather from the streets, and dusted her off, we found a back street restaurant that serves only 6 tables.  It offered authentic Italian dishes that made us feel warm and welcomed to this city.  The best surprise was that the cook even came out to sing to us! The food was fantastic and the atmosphere was equally delightful.

Today we visited the Duomo Museum and Ghiberti’s Baptistery bell tower (by the way if your wondering how many steps it is up to the bell tower it is 417 but the view is breathtaking . . . or was it the steps?!) We also went to the Uffizi Gallery, which houses the greatest Italian Renaissance artwork in the world.  One of the most enjoyable times we had today was visiting the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum. This is one of Heather’s favorite shoe designers. Ferragamo is best known for designing Dorothy’s ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz. The exhibit, called Shoes, Art and Literature, taught so much today about how art and fashion relate to one another.

Now…..lets discuss SHOPPING! Who knew Florence was the shopping capital of the world! San Lorenzo Market is a street market with leather goods, art prints, gold and silver. Heather found a fabulous leather jacket that required her to bargain with 2 Italian men named Fabrizo but in the end she won! Andrea found beautiful hand crafted earrings but to the delighted of the Italians had to play African drums for the salesman.

Now we are on the train to Rome for the last stop on our adventure

…

Vivere in un sogno!

The only way to describe our day in Venice is . . . “vivere in un sogno!”   For a day, we were absolutely “living in a dream!”   Stepping out of the train terminal and seeing the view of Venice for the first time literally took our breath away.  We both became a little emotional as we breathed in the Venice landscape and thanked the Lord for blessing us with the gift of this fellowship grant.  We were in Venice specifically for a mask making class; however, this was no ordinary class.  We were the only 2 students in a class designed to teach traditional Carnival mask making. Carnival began in Venice in the 1500’s and was a celebration of life with no restrictions from October to June annually. We learned the origins of Carnival and reasons why people wore masks. Our teacher explained and even demonstrated to us the costuming worn during Carnival. We also learned how important fashion was during this time of celebration. All social classes could mingle and talk together without restriction or judgment from their style of dress. Under our instructor’s direction, we each made 2 Carnival masks.  We are so excited to take home what we learned.  We will demonstrate to our students and colleagues how art and fashion are dynamically intertwined.

It would have been a tragedy to leave Venice without indulging in Italian gelato and a gondola ride down the canal.  So we chose, of course, to indulge.   The gondola ride, though expensive, proved to be worth every penny.  Heather’s first taste of gelato created a new obsession for her.  We both loved our time in Venice.  Now we are excited to see what adventures Florence will bring.

Au revoir Paris . . . Ciao Italy!

Today was our last day in Paris.  We spent much of our morning at the Musee d’ Orsay where we enjoyed the work of Impressionism and Post Impressionism artists including Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet, Gauguin, and Degas (our favorite!). But, we were not at the Musee today to see those artists; they were simply the icing on the cake.  We were there to study a very special collection of art by French artists in an exhibit called: A Passion for France.  The Marlene and Spencer Hays Collection.  This exhibit was designed to perfectly marry fashion with visual art. This collection excited us because it captured the point of why we are here on this fellowship grant. The artwork we saw gave particular attention to elegant clothing worn by men and women while highlighting beautiful settings.

A special surprise was learning that the collection’s owners, the Hays Family of USA, display the work in one of their homes in Nashville, Tennessee.  They simply loaned the collection to the Musee d’ Orsay for a summer exhibition.  We were thrilled to learn that we can share this amazing collection of art with our students at home.  We will be planning a collaborative field trip soon!

After enjoying a final meal in Paris, we began the long trek to the airport by way of the metro with all of our luggage in tow. Thankfully the trip only took an hour and a half and most of the stairs were DOWN rather than up. 

We are saying goodnight from our comfortable room at a bed and breakfast in Italy.  Tomorrow we will wake up in Venice!

Ciao Ciao

The Perfect Day in Paris!

 Today we immersed ourselves in Parisian culture and lifestyle. We began our day by enjoying café and croissants while enjoying open air markets and boutiques.  We tried (sometimes successfully and most of the time not) to carry on conversations in French with street vendors and the locals. Our next adventure was climbing the hilltop of Montmartre. We enjoyed gazing at the beautiful Sacre-Coeur Basilica. The highlight of our day was wondering the streets of the Montmartre neighborhood. We walked in the same streets that artist TouLouse-Lautrec, van Gough, Renoir and Picasso did! This was so exciting to us and we both said it made our hearts feel warm to be this close to artist that inspire us. One charming quality of Montmart is that local artists still fill the square to create and sell their artwork. While sitting at dinner an artist named Maxium asked to draw Andrea’s portrait.  He looked and acted like a character right out of the 19^th century.  At the end of our day the total damage was:

6 paintings from local artist . . . 200,00 Euro

1 Fromagerie (cheese plate) . . . 15,00  Euro

2 authentic French meals . . . 54,00 Euro

8 kisses from a local arist . . . . . . . . . PRICELESS!