uofscroaminthrugreece2019

[uofscroaminthrugreece2019]

Day 20

To continue with the theme of my first blog post, I wanted to blog about an item highly associated with the country we visited. For Greece, it was olive oil. For Italy, it is Italian leather!

Italian leather is of course, leather made in Italy. It is said to be the most luxurious and durable type of leather, great for belts, handbags or footwear. Traditional Italian leather makers create the leather from cowhide and cure it using vegetables.

As we shopped the streets of Capri and Rome, numerous leather venders lined the alleys. There were leather shops in Greece as well! However, their products still included a ‘Made in Italy’ tag. Leather goods came in many colors— from vibrant pinks and blues to more classic shades of brown.

Lots of my colleagues looked forward to visiting Italy to choose eclectic, authentic pieces for family and friends back home. Not to mention, those of us that indulged on ourselves!

While we will remember this trip for the rest of our lives, we will also have awesome Italian leather goods to bring back these special memories.

-Ryleigh W

[uofscroaminthrugreece2019]

Day 20

Wow, it’s already our last day on the trip! Today we had a free day and then met back up for a farewell dinner. We started the day by sleeping in and then after lunch we stopped by a cannoli stand near the Trevi Fountain. Cannolis are tube shaped fried pastry dough that is filled with a creamy ricotta inside. Then the ends are usually covered in either chocolate chips or pistachios, and then lightly dusted with powdered sugar. The cannolis were delicious, but they can be a bit messy. After the cannoli we went shopping for the rest of the afternoon. I think it’s safe to say that most everyone on the trip has had plenty of desserts, namely gelato. Gelato is an Italian staple, and can be found on just about every corner in Rome. After our farewell dinner, some of us decided to go to one of the best gelato places in Rome, “Come Il Latte”. Gelato is different from ice cream in that it has more milk and sugar than ice cream. Also, it is churned at a much slower rate than ice cream is, which gives it a much smoother consistency. Gelato is served at a higher temperature than ice cream, and has a more intense creamy flavor. Gelato can be served in a cup or cone, just like ice cream, and they share lots of the flavors as well. The gelato we have had on this trip has been amazing, and getting it one more time was a perfect way to end such an amazing trip. We spent 20 days in two countries seeing the famous sights, experiencing the different culture, making unforgettable memories, and creating lasting friendships. We will remember this amazing trip for the rest of our lives. -Carter Webb

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Day 19- Jay Urich

Today was an amazing day in Rome. We had a food tour and also saw the Coliseum. What stood out to me was after both of those at around 7pm we visited the Isokinetic Center. We met Giovanni, who was the main guy who lead us while we were there. We learned so much about their philosophy in their center and how they strive for excellence. They Believe that “exercise is medicine”. Just as important as getting a flu shot is to the health of the body, so is exercise. When Giovanni talked about the culture of their center, the main concept he kept repeating was the idea of TEAM. The three different subgroups for their center were Doctors, physiotherapy trainers, and receptionists. What stood out to me was he didn’t spend much time talking about the doctors (which I thought he would). Instead, he began to explain the importance of the receptionists that are the first people the patients see when they walk in. He stressed the importance of building relationship and the impact a smile can have on a person. This impressed me because my beliefs line up to theirs. It is so cool to see that someone as high up in the company at Isokinetic, like Giovanni, is about relationship and service. We also talked about the ACL ligament. He gave us an overview of the injury and how to prevent it. All though stregth training is important, he suggested that neuromuscular control was just as important. Out of all of the facts, the biggest thing I learned was that the ACL was the most common injury in sport. Over 20% of knee injuries in sport are tears in the ACL, 3% of all injury’s are ACL tears. Enjoy some of the pictures of the clinic. - Jay Urich

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Day 19: Rome Food Tour

Today was my personally most anticipated day of the trip thus far: the Rome Food Tour! Around 1, we met with our three tour guides who would proceed to bring us to each place where we would be sampling food. Most of us hadn’t eaten a huge breakfast or lunch, so we were very eager to start trying some Italian delicacies! Stop 1 brought us to I Dolci di Nonna Vincenza, where we would have the pleasure of sampling cannolis, a traditional Italian treat. They brought out a variety of flavors, including lemon, original, pistachio, hazelnut, cream and chocolate. This shop specializes in artisan small pastries. Stop 2 was at Antico Forno Roscioli, a bakery that opened back in 1824, specializing in artisan breads and sweets. Here, we sampled two slices of pizza: one with just red sauce and one margherita, which means sauce and mozzarella. Our next stop was to a meat and cheese shop near an outdoor market. First, they brought out bufala mozzarella balls for us to sample. The mozzarella is so much juicier and flavorful than any that I’ve had before and is made from the milk of the Italian water buffalo, which is why it is so difficult to recreate anywhere else. Next, we sampled Italian cheeses: pecorino cheese, which is made from sheep milk and is named after the the Italian word for sheep “pecora”, and parmigiana, which is made from the milk of a cow. My personal favorite was the parmigiana because it is similar to my favorite American cheese, parmesan, that does not exist in Italy. Before heading to a restaurant to sample pasta, we stopped in the market to sample multiple spreads and balsamic creams. There were an assortment of things to try from chili (very spicy) to pesto, red pesto, black olive and green olive spreads. My personal favorite was the wild berry balsamic cream, even though it was very sweet. The flavor was so intense, but hit the wild berry flavor spot on. For our main course, we went to the restaurant Ai Balestrari di Campo de Flori, established in 1862. This is supposed to be one of the few places left where the carbonara is 100% authentic. Other than carbonara, we also tried a rigatoni with red sauce and pork and a Roman traditional appetizer called suppli. Suppli contains risotto, mozzarella and tomato sauce and is then covered in bread crumbs and deep fried. To end our food tour, we stopped at Gelateria del Teatro where we each got to pick two gelato flavors. Supposedly one of the best gelato shops in Italy, we were all encouraged to sample their staple flavor of chocolate with red wine, among other specialties made with all fresh ingredients. I personally chose mint chocolate and mango, which obviously don’t go together, but I ate them separately and loved every bite of my two favorite flavors. I’m so glad that I got to try so many Italian delicacies. Ciao! -Sarah Shipp

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Day 19

Today is day 19, the second to last day of our adventure. This morning we visited the Colosseum! The pictures do not do the size of this amphitheater justice: it’s huge! It is estimated to hav3 held between 50,000-80,000 people and has a height of 48 meters. Building began in 72 AD and ended in 80 AD on the artificial lake of Nero’s Golden Palace by the emperors of the Flavian dynasty. It is crazy to think that such a big and beautiful monument only took 8 years to build! It was originally named the Flavian Amphitheater and was changed to the Colosseum in the late Middle Ages because of its proximity to the Colossus erected by Nero. It was designed for entertainment, such as animal fighting or gladiator contests. By the sixth century, it had lost its original function and was used for other purposes until it was recognized as an archaeological monument that evokes power and stands out from everything around it. It is truly extraordinary and commands your attention immediately. The state of conservation of the Colosseum depends on the stones exposure to the elements. Certain parts of the original elliptical layout are very weak due to the repurposing of the amphitheater and removal of stones. Other problems include weed growth, black crust, discoloring from rain, and cracking. The first investigation of the stone surfaces started in 1997 and has been a continuous process. The first steps to the restoration process include removing growth, sealing crack and protecting the iron elements of the stone. Then the mortar is restored and missing areas and cavities are filled in. The existing barriers and fences are gradually being replaced as well. The Colosseum is truly a site to see and I am so glad I got to experience it! This trip has been amazing and I’m so sad to be leaving soon, but I will never forget it. - Emma Tolley

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Day 16- Suhad Hussain

Today we visited the beautiful island of Capri! The island is a very popular vacation destination among celebrities such as Beyoncé and JayZ. We met our tour guide, Valerio, in Pompeii and took a ferry to the island. Once we arrived at the port, we immediately got on our smaller boat tour of the Blue Grotto. Unfortunately, the weather today was less than ideal, but that most definitely did not stop our tour! We all wrapped up in our rain jackets and rode through the beautiful seas of Capri. The natural wonders looked so beautiful I felt like they were fake. The Blue Grotto is a famous sea cave on the coast that is famous for its “Blue Water”. When sunlight passes through the cave and goes through the water it creates a blue reflection that illuminates the cave. Due to the clouds and rain today we weren’t able to see the blue water which was a bummer, but my favorite sight of the tour was the Faraglioni rocks. As we drove by in our small boat, we were able to see three massive oceanic rock formations. One of the rocks had an arch that we were able to drive under, and it is also known as “The Kissing Rock”. Kissing your significant other under the rock is supposed to bring your relationship luck for the future. How romantic is that?! This is when the water started to really become rough. While riding around the rocks huge waves were in front of our boat. We were all freaking out, but the crew was unphased and they assured us we were safe. It felt like we were on a rollercoaster which was fun but also a little scary. I am so thankful we were able to visit the natural wonders of Capri! I am so excited to see what the last days of our trip has in store! I am definitely not ready to go home.

[uofscroaminthrugreece2019]

Day 18

Tally Petras

Today we visited the Vatican (Vatican City). If you didn’t already know, the Vatican is technically the smallest country in the world! It’s completely independent from Italy and is tax free. I had not previously known this and found it so interesting. The Vatican is full of unbelievably gorgeous artwork from paintings to sculptures to mosaics and it’s architecture. Most importantly, the Vatican is the home of the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope. In Vatican City, we first went through the Vatican Museum where we saw Roman paintings and sculptures including famous works from the renaissance era. The past Popes all collected these artworks to be displayed and admired. The amount of detail in these sculptures are mind blowing and it’s crazy to think that something looking so life like is actually stone. The Vatican was nothing like I have ever experienced and I have not seen anything even close to this in America. The most I can compare it to is the larger churches and synagogues seen in the U.S. although those aren’t anywhere near the size of the Sistine Chapel. Overall, the art and history for the Vatican is an experience like no other and no matter what your religious beliefs are, it is something everyone can appreciate and enjoy.

[uofscroaminthrugreece2019]

Day 18

Today we visited the Vatican and had a guided tour of the Sistine Chapel and the Saint Peter’s Basilica with our guide, Anna. The Saint Peter’s Basilica is a church located within the Vatican city. The dome of the Saint Peter’s Basilica was designed by Michaelangelo when he was 72 years old and it was his last project. Michaelangelo also created the La Pieta statue which is a marble statue displayed in the Basilica and depicts the virgin Mary holding Jesus.

One of Jesus’ disciples, Simon who became known as Saint Peter, played a big role in founding the christian church. After a ministry of 34 years, Saint Peter went to rome where he was crucified. Saint Peter’s remains were then buried less then 500 feet from where he was executed. Today, the alter of the Saint Peter’s Basilica sits on top of this site. Only the pope is allowed to stand at the alter. The Basilica is also the burial site of 146 popes.

Since today was 40 days after Easter, the Ascension of the Lord took place in the Basilica. On this day, Jesus ascended into heaven, so it is a holy day of obligation in the Catholic church and is commemorated with hymns.

-Erica Thunberg

[uofscroaminthrugreece2019]

Day 18

A highlight of the trip that almost everyone was anticipating and talking about was the tour of the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica, and Sistine Chapel. Today was that day, and it definitely did not disappoint! Even if you’re not catholic or a religious person, the quality of the architecture, sculptures, and paintings are awe-inspiring. The part of the tour that had the biggest impact on me was the Sistine Chapel, specifically the painted ceiling. The ceiling was painted by Michelangelo from 1508 to 1512. I couldn’t believe that he was able to complete it all in only four years by himself. The only assistance he had was people making the paint for him.

Besides serving as a chapel, the other main function is being the conclave whenever voting needs to be done for a new pope. Once the cardinals gather, a candidate must receive two thirds of the votes to be elected. If a new pope is chosen, white smoke plumes from the chimney by burning the ballots. If not, black smoke will be created by burning the ballots, wet straw, and chemicals. Our tour guide Anna did a great job of explaining the meaning of many of the paintings on the ceiling. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take any photos inside the chapel, but I included some of the artwork from when we were walking in and from when Anna was explaining to us. We only looked at the ceiling for about 10 minutes, but it would take hours to truly appreciate every aspect of it. It was one of the most impressive pieces of artwork I’ve ever seen, and it’s amazing that it’s still in such good condition to be shared with everyone today. — Nick Tice

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Day 17

Today is day 17 of our trip and our first day in Rome! It is sad to say that the our trip is beginning to end but we save the best city for last. Like they say all roads lead to Rome! We started off the day with checking out of our hotel in Pompei and loaded the bus for our 3 hour long journey to Rome. Once all checked in at our hostel we headed to our hop on-hop off bus tour of the city. Riding the bus and later walking through the streets I saw some differences between the Greek culture we had previously experienced and what I was seeing today in Rome. Firstly, I immediately noticed how much more trash on the street there was. Even though there are way more street trash cans here than in Greece, the streets have much more liter and I even witnessed some birds tearing open trash bags on the street. One similarity I have noticed in the two cultures is they both smoke a lot of cigarettes and the shops and restaurants and set up very similarly. I believe that they could better handle the trash issue by having actual trash cans instead of bags that are easily torn into by animals. On a more positive note, I really enjoyed seeing all of the history of the area. It still amazes me how old these sites are so old compared to anything we would see in America. I can’t wait for tomorrow to visit the Vatican and see another great cultural difference from the U.S. In America we fight for a separation of church and state while here their culture and government is centered around their religious beliefs. Also today, I saw some of the most beautiful fountains!

Tina Pham

[uofscroaminthrugreece2019]

Day 17

Today we drove from Pompeii to Rome where we will be staying until the end of our trip. When we got to Rome we walked for a little to the Generator Hostel which we are staying in. It is a lot nicer than the hostels I have previously stayed in. The rooms are really nice and spacious and a lot cleaner than I expected them to be. I noticed how there are a lot more Americans in Rome than there were in Athens. We went on a hop on hop off bus tour which reminded me a lot of one I did in NYC once. The bus was very similar to the one I rode there. Rome in a way also reminds me of NYC. There are many people, tourists, cars, and buses. As well as a lot of noise. There is a lot of traffic and taxis here just like in NYC. The architecture here is also a lot more intricate and detailed than what I have seen before. Most of the buildings look like they are made of stone or concrete where as in NYC they are very modern looking with tall sky scrapers. The roads here are also thinner and the cars that I see most people driving are smaller than in the US. I have also seen a lot more people driving mopeds and motorcycles while weaving through traffic. The drivers here must be extremely skilled and talented because I would be terrified if i had to drive down all of these roads. So far Rome has been amazing and beautiful, nothing like I have ever seen before.

Rose Rubenstein

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Day 17: Wynne Johnson

Today is our first day in the city of Rome. We took a three hour bus ride from Pompeii to Rome this morning and arrived at our hostel. It is the first hostel we have stayed in. The only difference I have noticed so far is the bunk beds and the amount of guests our age. None of us really care where we sleep we are just all excited to finally be in Rome. In order to get to know the city, we hopped on a bus tour. The landmark that stood out to me the most was the Alter of the Fatherland. In Italian it is known as the Vittoriano memorial. It was one of the first landmarks on our bus tour. As soon as we turned the corner and laid eyes on the building our jaws dropped. It is so beautiful and embodies Italy so well. It is 70 meters tall and 135 meters wide. The Italian flag flying at half mass sits on both sides of the steps leading up to the memorial. It was built in honor of Italy’s first king, Victor Emmanuel, and is a well known patriotic symbol. Today the monument holds the tomb of the unknown soldier. The body of the unknown soldier was placed in the tomb in 1921 after World War I. Two soldiers guard the tomb next to the eternal flame and under the statue of the goddess Roma, whom the city is named after. Overall, it was a great first day exploring Rome. I love the amount of history this city holds and I can’t wait to unfold it throughout these past couple of days in Italy.

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Day 16-Anna Heid

Today we took a ferry from Pompeii to visit the Island of Capri!! I had high expectations knowing Capri is known for their luxurious shopping and extraordinary sceneray and rocks. The ferry ride was cold and bumpy, but we finally made it. When we got to the top of the mountain and saw all the shops, I knew it was going to be an exciting day. I was very interested to research the shopping culture after today’s adventures. Capri is known for its exclusive fashion botiques; many of which are vary famous designer brands. Some parts of their culture show through the hand-stitched sandals, artisan-made perfume, and a bottle of lemon cello. The sandles is what capri is famous for; they make them right in front of you! Another typical sovenioir is the artisan-made perfume which dates back to the 15th century using the islands herbs and flowers. Lemon cello is made with the islands own lemonade! I also learned that the prices of designer brands are on sale in the months of Jan/Feb and June/July in effort to make room for new inventory. Unfortunately it was not a sale month, but I did enjoy the tax return I received while checking out! I absolutely loved learning about what makes Capri famous and the shopping culture that it entails. I will definitely have to visit again!

[uofscroaminthrugreece2019]

Day 16

We woke up and started our second and final day in Pompeii at the Port, where we boarded a jet ferry that took us to our destination - Capri! After encountering some motion sickness, we arrived at the island just in time for a small storm. We took a boat tour around the coast, where we were able to see statues along the rocky shores, as well as learn some history about the people who inhabited the island. Afterwards we were able to grab lunch and have a free day to explore! As many of my peers know on this trip, I take littering extremely seriously - there is no need for it when trash cans and recycling bins exist. While on the island, I noticed that some areas were mostly clean of trash and debris, but the areas that had the most were the beaches and the ocean itself. On our way back to Pompeii on the ferry, I noticed a sign posted near every door that showed a color coordinated map of the boat itself, and the specific trash that goes in each waste basket. I thought this was extremely innovative and clever, because not only does it provide a map of where to locate the waste bins, it separates the waste by material so that it is easier to recycle or get rid of! So far, Italy has seemed like a clean place, but it is also only our second day here so I will continue to look out for signs of trash or littering, as well as any more creative ways of disposing of such materials. I also am curious as to why the ocean carries more trash than that island itself, when we passed multiple trash cans on the beach and the surrounding areas. I believe that this is a result of storms blowing the trash into the ocean, or the trash being carried from far away to the island in which no one personally has control over. As far as littering goes, I witnessed several times today someone drop trash without realizing it, and a stranger would go behind them and dispose of it themselves - this type of initiative and anticipation has the potential to change how trashed our world is getting, and it made me happy to know that I was not the only one attempting to better the circumstances! All in all, what we have seen of Italy is gorgeous and clean, and I hope that it stays that way!

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Day 15- Alli McCutchen

Wow I can’t believe it is already Day 15! Today was an exhausting, yet another amazing day! After a fascinating tour of the Pompeii ruins, we went to get lunch and experience wine tasting at Bosco de Medici Winery. There, we were given two different white wines and one red wine to taste with our lunch. The two whites were called Lava Flava and Pompeii. Pompeii was more a golden white color and had a somewhat different taste than LavaFlava. I personally liked the Pompeii better than the Lava Flava. The red wine we were given was called LavaRubra. I personally like white wine better than red wine but the LavaRubra was still very good in my opinion. They also brought us bread, cheese, other appetizers, and pasta to eat with it which was also delicious. After our delicious meal and drinks we were given a tour of the beautiful property where they grow the grapes to make the wine. We walked around and the beautiful gardens and also discussed the different ways they grow the grapes, including their experimental vineyard. A major part of this experiment includes roses, which I learned today, are very sensitive. When attacked with any sort of bacteria or disease they tend to die quickly. This can act as a signal or alarm to the employees to know, quickly, when certain things are harmful to the vine. I was surprised to hear they were actually very new, their company being born in 2014 and opened to the public in 2017. However, even though they are specifically knew, the Medici family goes way back. Their family essentially created a dynasty in the 1500’s and created its own unique Vesuvian wine. Bosco de Medici decided to revive the tradition. We also got an opportunity to see some of the tools used when making the wine which was very fascinating. Afterwards, all of us got the opportunity to buy some wine of their own or ship it back home to their families! I know many people took advantage of that and got a nice present for their parents. Overall it was another amazing day abroad and an amazing first day in Italy!! - Alli McCuchen

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Day 15- Sierra Forrest

Our first day in Italy was quite the experience! We started our day bright and early at about 2:30 am to catch our 5:00 am flight to Rome. The main thing we’ve done today was take a tour around Pompei. It was very interesting to see the ruins of the volcanic eruption and it was surprising how much was still preserved from those times. Reflecting on our time in Greece, I have noticed some similarities and differences between the two cultures of Greece and Italy. Firstly, the theaters are built in the same style so that the performers could project their voice all the way up to the balcony. Also, the arrangement of the seatings are similar in that the richer populations are closer to the stage and the poorer or slave populations are farther in the balcony. This is also similar to how theaters are set up in America. Seating is slanted and the closer to the stage you are, the more expensive the cost of tickets. One difference of the Greek and Italian cultures based on Pompei is food. In all of the tours we have taken in Greece, I have not noticed the mention of any bakeries, but in Pompei, there were several pointed out to us. It’s interesting how the bakery ovens resemble today’s pizza ovens in restaurants, but here they were used for only bread- not pizza. After Pompei, we had a winery tour which was also very interesting in seeing the history and importance of wine in the Italian culture. All in all, today was a very long and full day of new experiences and I cannot wait for the rest of this week!

[uofscroaminthrugreece2019]

Pompei, Italy