Our Trip to Southern Italy…

The first stop on this trek down south was Naples. We took a 2 hour train ride from Rome to Naples, were we played the most boring card game imaginable. I tried to get out of it on several occasions but the rules of the game and Owens guilt trip would not allow my withdrawal. Finally arriving to Naples a checking in to our luxurious hotel was a blast, running from room to room and each convincing one another we had the better room took up the better part of our hour free time. Finally it was time to explore the city of Napoli.

As we started walking down the main street with enthusiasm and excitement for all the architecture we were about to experience and appreciate, our eyes started to go astray from the beautiful architectural sites and fell upon the gorgeous natural sites of the city….the women were breathtaking! As Stanley and Dave tried to explain the historical architecture of the Galleria Umberto I would always get a nudge by a fellow classmate motioning to “look over there”, which really distracted me from absorbing all the knowledge my professors were bestowing on me…but naturally I welcomed the distractions with a grin and look of approval. Now it was time to go sketch in the city.

Walking around Naples was amazing, the interplay with the balconies and how they almost touched from one side to another on these little narrows streets was quite a site, the dialoged between the street, buildings, landscape and people gave off a vibe of a very intimate city. Walking around Naples and just interacting with all the people was such a cultural experience because everyone was so happy, friendly, and willing to talk to a group of Americans that could barley speak Italian. It was the friendliest city I have ever been to, we even came across a group of young men that’s said “We love America, have a wonder time in Napoli”!

Sitting down and sketching really gave me another level of appreciation of Naples. You could really take everything in and focus on the detail on every level thing that would have been overlooked if you were just passing by. Walking into the Galleria Umberto was almost overwhelming. The grandeur and scale of the structure was unbelievable and then there were the huge glass roofs. It was one of my favorite inside/outside experiences. It could be taken either way. There were shops and little galleries along the side of it. The two central axis were so strong leading you to either side of the two busy streets.

I liked the large square with the fake Pantheon although other people bashed it since it was a mix of the real Pantheon and St Peters in Rome. Although it was a cool space it the piazza was so big and there was to place to really hang out or sit down to admire the building that it made the space unsuccessful, and unfortunately people just walk through this space instead of sitting down and really appreciating the architecture. One of my friends I met in Rome, before we came here, told me of a little game to play when we got to this fake Pantheon. You had to close your eyes, disorient yourself and then someone would take you and point you straight in between the two horse statues in front of the fake Pantheon which were about 60 feet apart. Then you would have to walk a straight line through the statues towards the front steps of the Pantheon. It seemed very easy but no one could do it. Everyone would go way left or way right resulting from the uneven cobblestones. Owen was the worst of all of us. He would just walk around aimlessly in circles with his eyes closed as we all would try to contain our laughter until he was so completely off track that he would either get hit by a scooter from the main road or until he ran into something, preferably being a brick wall.

That night we had a great dinner at this hundred year old restaurant where the claim to have invented pizza. We laughed, ate, drank and all were amused by Stanley’s infamous humor and stories. After that, all of us went out for a night on the town. Searching for a bar or club was not easy, walking 300 kilometers to the nearest bar…but we were determined. Turning each corner with more anticipation than the one before, maybe this will be the street…then we found it. Imagine….an ally about 100 yards long with bars lining either side of the street and 500 people walking in and out of every bar all the way down to the end of the ally…for 15 thirsty architects…heaven. The bars were a blast, drinking and laughing the night away, John and Owen even muscled up enough courage to talk to some Italian women…which John even game them his number…his New Jersey, American, doesn’t even that phone on him number…great move buddy. Getting back to the hotel which was 3,000 nautical miles away was an adventure at the end of the night itself…enough said haha.

The next day we embarked on our journey to Palermo which first entailed a 10 hour boat ride down the treacherous seas of the Mediterranean. The boat was an experience on it own. We went up t our cabins to find that the room was about 10 cubic feet for four people. It was a tight squeeze but we managed to stick the night out in our bunk beds. Exploring the ship was fun; I convinced the “dudes” that I got stuck in the elevator for 3 hours while I was really upstairs talking and laughing with my other classmates. As soon as I went back to our room and told them that I was stuck in the elevator Joey yelled, “I told you guys!!!!” Because he knows everything and knew that I was stuck all this time haha…I still haven’t told them I was lying. We had wrestling matches and slap box fights to help entertain us throughout the long overnight journey. There was even a long jump competition that took place of the roof of the ship, because of the wind we could jump up the wind would carry us 10 feet further that we could jump. Our night concluded with wheelbarrow races, getting yelled at to “Go to bed” by the ships crew, and Owen sticking his head in a massive water/ air drain which vacuumed his head in, the vacuuming part he found out when the duct sucked all the air out of him and came out of the duct gasping for air and giggling.
After arriving in Palermo at six in the morning, we had to drag our suitcases a mile and a half up hill to get to our hotel. But the hotel was very nice and we checked in and were ready to begin out day. Getting on the bus to the church in Monreale, I had no idea of the experience I was in store for. I had such an amazing experience not only through the architecture of the church but also seeing those nurses and nuns caring and helping all the needy people at the Mass at the church. I felt so touched just watching these nuns take care all of these people whole heartedly and without hesitation. It was almost like God was in the church. It inspired me to sit down and say a prayer for my family and friends. The presence of God was overwhelming, I have never felt such a strong “feeling”. It is hard to describe in words but I’ll do my best…The more and more I sat down and watched the nurses and nuns take care of these people with smiles on their faces the more goodness seemed to pour out of them and fill the church, as more nuns walked into the church the feeling of “good” grew stronger. It was such an intense feeling I isolated myself from the group, only focusing this pure urge that was surging through my body. I left my pew to go to a side room/chapel to say a prayer. Walking into that room the feeling only intensified. I knelt down and closed my eyes to start my prayer, but when I closed eyes I just remained kneeling there, not saying a word, internally or subconsciously, only allowing my mind to roam and wander in this eternal state of “ pure goodness” I was fully submersed in. I felt God. I am sure of that. Concluding my prayer and walking out of the room I felt the “overwhelming intensity” subside which was replaced by awe, finishing the day was surreal with a sense of enlightenment I have never felt or experienced before, going to bed with a smile on my face, feeling completely “safe”.



Refer to http://www1.snapfish.com/photolibrary/t_=87499208 for my pictures
The second half of this trip will come soon…..