Nora in Italy: Time for Spring Break!!

01 April 2010

Time for Spring Break!!

   Hi everybody! I hope you've enjoyed my last few posts from Perugia, Assisi, and San Gimignano. This will be my last post before I go on vacation to Sicily for Spring Break. One of my good friends invited me to stay with her at one of her relative's house on the northeast end of Sicily. I'm going to be there for Easter, or La Pasqua as you say in Italian. I've heard that the relative we're staying at is a superb cook and will be literally cooking us a feast everyday. I may come back a few pounds heavier, but I can't wait!!
   Before I leave you, here are two more contrada fountains that I've found so far. The first one is the giraffe contrada's baptismal font/fountain and the second one is the dragon contrada's. This puts my contrada fountain/baptismal font count at 11 out of 17!
   Something really funny happened to me yesterday. On the cover of the book I'm reading right now "Under The Tuscan Sun" is a picture of a beautiful chapel and villa with the Tuscan countryside in the background. Yesterday, while driving to Pienza with one of my classes on a field trip, we drove by the exact chapel & villa that's on the cover of the book!!! I even had the book with me then, so I brought it out to check and it was indeed the exact same landscape! It definitely made me smile!
   Until next Friday, arrivaderci & Buona Pasqua!!

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Dare il benvenuto al mio blog (welcome to my blog)!!!

Ciao a tutti! This blog will serve as an online journal, chronicling my semester abroad in Siena, Italy! I created this especially for my family and friends so that they can follow my travels and stay up-to-date on the things that I do and see. I will be in Siena from early January to mid-May, 2010. Also, I really like to know your feelings about my blog, so please comment! To comment, click "0 comment" in blue beneath each entry. For those of you who have just started reading my blog, go to the bottom of the page and click on "older posts" to start from the beginning, or feel free to read just my most recent posts.

Love,

Nora

A little background on the city of Siena:

According to a famous local legend, the city of Siena was founded by Senius and Aschius, the twin sons of Remus, who was in turn one of the legendary founders of Rome. The twins ran away from Rome in order to escape the treachery of their uncle Remus. When they stopped near Tressa, they built a fire to honor the gods Apollo and Diana in thanks for their safe journey. No sooner had they lit the fire, the smoke turned black and white, which became the colors of Siena's coat of arms.

Siena declared its independence in 1167 from episcopal control and solidified a constitution by 1179. During the 1200s many of its most distinctive and impressive buildings were built, such as the famous black and white Duomo and the Piazza del Campo, regarded by some to be one of the finest examples of a public square in Europe.

It was in the 12th century that a rivalry between Florence and Siena formed. At the base of this rivalry was the fact that Siena was predominantly Ghibelline (in support of the imperial party rather than the Pope) and Florence was Guelph. Several bloody wars between the two cities ensued, notably the Battle of Montaperti where the army of Siena crushed the much larger army of Florence. By the 13th century, a set of walls were completed which entirely encompassed the city, and most of which still exists today.

The Universita degli Studi di Siena was founded in 1240 and is the oldest University in Europe and one of the best (I am considered a student of the Universita. I have an ID card which allows me access to all of its facilities located all over the city).

An important part of Siena's history as well as modern life is the Contrade. The historic center of the city (within the walls, where I live) is divided into 17 contrade, or districts which were originally formed in the Middle Ages to supply troops to the city's defense. As time passed, they became less important in a military and administrative sense and their function became to impart local pride and patriotism. The contrade are the basis of the Palio horse race that occurs twice a year, in which horses each representing a specific contrada race against one another. The 17 contrade are: Aquilla (Eagle), Bruco (Caterpillar), Chiocciola (Snail), Civetta (Little Owl), Drago (Dragon), Giraffa (Giraffe), Istrice (Crested Procupine), Leocorno (Unicorn), Lupa (She-Wolf), Nicchio (Shell), Oca (Goose), Onda (Wave, which is the contrada I live in), Pantera (Panther), Selva (Forest), Tartuca (Tortoise), Torre (Tower), and Valdimontone (Ram). Each contrada has its own territory, church, museum, fountain, baptismal font, motto, song, allied contrada or contradae, and adversary contrada.

Places I Have Visited (A Growing List)

Paris, France
Valencia, Spain
Pisa, Italy
Porto Rosa, Sicily, Italy
Capo D'Orlando, Sicily, Italy
Piraino, Sicily, Italy
Brolo, Sicily, Italy
Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Pienza, Italy
Assisi, Italy
Bevagna, Italy
Perugia, Italy
San Gimignano, Italy
Lucca, Italy
Milan, Italy
Buonconvento, Italy
Bologna, Italy
Viareggio, Italy
Florence, Italy
Gaiole In Chianti, Italy
Siena, Italy
Rome, Italy
Usa River, Tanzania
Arusha, Tanzania
Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Lake Manyara, Tanzania
London, UK
Mazatlan, Mexico
Canada

My Favorite Things About Siena (A Growing List)

1. Terra cotta roofs
2. How people treat Piazza del Campo (the main square) like a beach when the weather's nice
3. How the bells from each of Siena's churches ring every hour
4. Gelato (especially Panna Cotta & Stracciatella)
5. How everyone hangs their laundry out to dry from their windows
6. The juxtaposition of new and old, progress and tradition
7. How there are no clothes dryers (I hope you can sense the sarcasm!)
8. The fierce loyalty of the Sienese to their Contrada
9. To be able to hop on a bus or train and be in Rome or another amazing Italian city in a matter of hours
10. How the pace of life moves slower here
11. Good food & wine

01 April 2010

Time for Spring Break!!

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