Buon giorno!

Our time is dwindling here in Italy.. another two weeks is all we have left. As I said before, our studies have switched primarily to photography and still continuing Italian. 

This past wednesday, we enjoyed a day trip to a medieval village called Spello, as well as a visit to a mountain town called Norcia. Norte sits at about 5,000 ft in elevation and reminded us all of being in MT, near the beartooth pass.

This weekend and for Halloween we visited Florence! The city is a tourist hotspot so there were plenty of people dressed for the occasion. We continued the usual visiting churches and museums to take pictures all along the way. 

Tomorrow we are bound for the holy city of Assisi. 

Hope all is well in MT and TX!

I'll be back on the 19th.

Galilao's middle finger

Salve Family and Friends,

Week 5 Here in Italy,

Not much to report this time around.. We spent the week at the Villa continuing our studies in Italian and water color. During the weekend a few members of our group ventured to Pompeii to visit the ancient ruins created by the famous eruption that we all know of!

The rest of us hung around the villa, visited a chocolate festival held in Perugia that was a good time! More chocolate than could be possibly consumed... Chocolate everything. Shoes.. sausage.. soccer balls.. you name it.

So yes, that was what was in store for the weekend.. besides a few trips up to the orange bar in Corciano.

On sunday our photography professor Dave arrived, thus begging the photography portion of our trip. Now its Italian, water color as well as photography. This weekend we have a trip planned to Florence!

Life is good here in Italy!

Happy Halloween, or Happy All Saints day here in Europe (in advance)

Heres a few pics I edited in lightroom,
the other pics thus far have been unedited. Big difference!

much more to come!

Buono Sera Family and friends, 

Its now been exactly one month spent in Italy, and a blissful one thus far. 

Our first three weeks in the the country were defiantly the most exciting so far, it would seem that we are on the downward slope of our semester abroad. We will have another 2 weeks of watercolor studies which be overlapped for the final two weeks of digital photography taught by our professor Dave Shummway. 

On sunday we visited Lake Trasimeno which is the 4th largest lake or "Lago" in Italy. Oddly enough the deepest depth found in that body of water is around 10 meters. We toured a medieval fortress occupied by the Franciscans and enjoyed an authentic farm style meal made of organic crops grown exclusively from the area, including a bean beer! not too shabby. 

Alas, there was not an opportunity to fish this week... Soon.

We continue our studies in Italian week to week, and although progress is being made in the classroom it is another thing understanding what is being said by a real italian when they ramble something off! 

Our last day in Italy will be on the 15th, in which I fly from Rome to Boston to spend a few days with my friend Dominic before returning home. My first trip in Europe had been an eye opener and enjoyable thus far, though i am anxious to return to see some familiar territory and faces. 

I will be posting a batch of photos soon, after i have some time to upload and root through them.

Thats it for now folks, 

Ciao!

Buongiorno!

I write you once again from the comfort and safety of the villa Pieve in Perugia. We have spent the last two weeks traveling about the country: first a week in sicily as mentioned earlier, and 7 days spent in the heart of it all, Rome.

Our days in Rome were spent touring the Roman Forums and other famous sites through out the city. The forums are an area in the middle of of Rome located between the Capitaline and Palentine Hills. They hosts some of the most notable Roman architecture: Arch of Titus, Arch of Constantine, the home of Augustus, Forum of Trajan, the Victor Emmanuel and oh yes, the Colosseum! Our days began at 9 and traveling by foot, we made our way to each of these sites. There was a whole lot to take in and many times stressful, but if you could manage to take a moment and as mark says "separate time and space" you can begin to create a idea and feel a sense of what the great city once was. Each of us were responsible for researching two of the sites and giving a brief oration on the topic upon arrival. I spoke about the Forum of Trajan and the Ara Pacis Augustae.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajan's_Forum

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ara_Pacis

One thing is for sure Rome can leave your ears ringing and if you're not careful you may be claimed by a  pickpocket. But looking both ways and keeping a weary eye peeled we were able to make it out un-scaved and will some euros left to spend! On Saturday I was able to spend some time along the Tiber river with a line in the water, though no fish were had on that occasion.... Nearby our villa there are chances to fish so that we be my priority on the weekends! I will not come home fish-less!

And the food... so many pizzas were consumed. Had my first Peroni in the process as well. My favorite meal was at an Irish Pub, where I had beef and mash stew with a pint of Guiness. That paired with some football on the tele was a top notch evening.

On a side note, I had my hair cut in Rome and it was the most expertly crafted and executed dressing i've ever had!

Alas, we've made it back to the peaceful villa. Yester-eve we hosted the Italian bowl, a jeopardy style game to quiz what we had all retained from our whirlwind of voyage. The 4 teams represented the 4 houses of Hogwarts. We were Hufflepuff and we took the victory in the final round!

We've also began our water color course here at the Villa with Jim Baken as our fearless leader.

Tomorrow we are taking a short trip to Sienna for some water color in the field... sigh...

Now that I've returned to the usage of a computer i can communicate more frequently, so expect to see many photos and posts! thats all I've got for now.

Ciao!!

Ciao friends and family!

Another week said and done it Italy... Though the days seem to have been mashed into one whirl of splendor. Where to begin! Chronologically perhaps. 

We arrived in the city of Palermo on Monday the 29th after a brief flight from Rome, and I think it's safe to say the group was in shock as to the atmosphere of the city. This being trash, shit and an occasional bum as we dodged scooters trying to get to our hotel. All was well though our lodging was quite nice, just not the image you have in mind when you think about the beautiful island of Sicily. Should have known expected it seeing as it is a port city. Throughout the week we drove all over the island to places such as Selinunte, Agrigento and the Reserva Della Zingaro (a natural preserve where we did some hiking and swam in crystal clear waters). On Friday we changed our home base to Catania which is on the east side of the island, where we visited Siracusa, and today Taromina which is nestled right below mount etna. All these places host archeological sites belonging to the Romans and Greeks throughout a variety of time periods. It's alot to take in but great to see none the less! 

Tomorrow we are destined for Rome where we will be operating for a week, and then returning to the Villa in Perugia to begin our watercolor studies with Jim. 

Food is great! Wine is also great! The hardest part is ordering food and communicating with the drivers. But as Leo says " No broken bones. We're alright. " life goes on. 

I will be able to upload a myriad of my photos when we return to the villa and have use of a computer  at the ready. That's it for now. Hope it's not too cold in Billings as I sit on the beach in October ;) 

 

Ciao!

 Buono Sera!

Here i am after spending one week in Italy. We've spent the week studying Italian language as well Art history, particularly that of the Romans and Eutruscans. Extremely awesome stuff that these ancient civilizations were able to accomplish. 

A little scope of our situation here, We are staying at a place known as the Villa De Pieve which is about 10 or so miles form the town of Perugia. The villa is also nearby a small village called Cortiano which is within walking distance for us, so we like to head up there (passing vineyards on the way) to eat gelato or have a few well timed drinks from the Orange Bar. 

Just yesterday (sat) we toured the city of Perugia with our knowledgeable host Rosella who's family owns the Villa. 

After pizza, museums and shopping in Perugia, its safe to say that I will be going back!

Tomorrow the group is bound for the Island of Sicily where we will begin our studies. We are each allowed 20 lbs of luggage on the jet so we are traveling light! 

again... Anxious to try some ocean fishing in the Mediterranean!

TTFN... Ta Ta for now,

Ciao!

One of the Kittens... probably the most commonly photographed objects on the trip thus far.

Night Scene from the Villa

And the Rest are scenes from Perugia! Though they may not do the city justice.

Ciao!
Here are a few pictures from my the first days of the journey...
leaving Montana at sunrise
Rome
and of course... the kittens at the Villa