Toto, we're not in Kabul

It probably seems like we are always on vacation, given that I never really write about much else. It's true, the leave package for Afghanistan is pretty generous and we've certainly taken advantage of having more time (and probably more money) then we'll have again for a loooooong time. That's to make up for having no weekends and holidays (for which I do not receive any OT - just like any other salaried position) and no time/energy to even talk on the phone to friends and family after work. But since this is it - our last real vacation for a looooong time - we made the most of it on an Azamara cruise through Greece and Turkey with Kabul friends (and half the male British Air flight attendants) , topped off by a few days at the end in Istanbul.
So, so beautiful - maybe we'll have to do a tour in Greece someday to spend more time there. In the meantime, I've found that Istanbul's internet is pretty speedy so I've caught up on Facebook and Flickr photo postings. Anything else will have to wait though as I've got this whole wide beautiful city to explore and only a few days to do it!

New Years Eve 2011, Philadelphia

New Year's Eve, 2010 (or is it 2011?) was spent in church. Oh, but that's just where we started. My awesome aunt and new uncle thoughtfully planned and paid for a huge family party for NYE. The best part was watching them get MARRIED first! I love this church - it's the same one I was baptized in nearly 30 years ago.

It's a good thing we all prayed first since it got a bit rowdy. There may have been some overly animated singing along to Sweet Caroline and someone could've lost a tooth with all the fist pumping during the Journey number (I couldn't even hear the real singer during the chorus) but all their friends and us family had a great time ringing in 2011 with the newly married couple.

Brisbane - Welcome to Australia!

After 16 hours in the air and 10 in various airports (Kabul, Delhi, Singapore) along the way, we went from here:

to here:

Ok, maybe that picture doesn't mean much to you but it meant a lot to me at the time. Sunshine (of the non-blinding sort), flowers, greenery, thoughtfully designed architecture, fresh seafood, spring...all of that was there to meet us in Brisbane, our first stop during vacation in Australia.

Brisbane doesn't get much press compared to her sibling cities in The Land Down Under but it was the perfect place for us to shake off our jet lag and get re-acquainted with life outside of Afghanistan. We only had three night and two days in this Queensland city but took full advantage of the gorgeously warm spring weather by staying outside. On our first afternoon, we spent the early part walking around the center of the city, near our hotel. After years of vacationing in Europe, it was a little weird to visit Brisbane's oldest church and discover it wasn't even 200 years old. However, thanks to a recent renovation, it was still in beautiful shape. I was pleased to find my favorite saint - St. Christopher - in the windows. St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers.

We spent a good deal of time along the river. On one side, we explored the City Botanic Gardens, testing the benches and watching all the business-folk take breaks during their work days. We even saw some creepy lizards in there.

A ferry along the Brisbane River brought us to the South Bank Parklands for more exploration (this time with more teenagers and children). The Parklands was created in 1992 to make use of space originally designed for the 1988 World Expo. One of the highlights is the Grand Arbor, a one kilometer arched walkway covered with bougainvilleas and pictured above. The Ferris wheel also made for a lovely distraction in the afternoon. However, the real star of the Parklands was the Street Beach. Made mostly from reclaimed Brisbane River land and surrounded with sand imported from the nearby Moreton Bay, the beach has river views on one side and parkland on the other. Even though it was a workday and the weather was only in the upper 70s, lots of kids were in the water, surrounded by parents with their toes in the sand.

On our last night in Brisbane, we happily met up with a friend's friend for dinner. Trina brought HER friend and our little group had some delicious Thai food as our new Aussie friends gave us suggestions on things to see and do during the rest of our trip. After dinner, Trina was kind enough to throw us in her car and take us to the top of Kangaroo Point Cliffs. From there, we had expanded views of the whole city. Looking around, it seemed like it wasn't just Brisbane, but rather all of Australia, welcoming us.

Day 13: Baptismal Fountain in Alba

Sixth century baptismal fountain from the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Alba. The Cathedral itself was built in the 12th century over Roman ruins.

Day 15: The Shroud of Turin

As I mentioned yesterday, we visited the Shroud of Turin in Turin. Pope Benedict XVI authorized the Shroud for public display to a two month period this year - the first time since 2000. We booked our reservation about three months ago and received our first choice date. The ticket said to arrive an hour prior but we really didn't expect the line snaking around the block. It was easy to find the end - hundreds of pilgrims led the way. After about an hour and a half in line, we finally made it into the church. Technically, no photography was allowed (and definitely no flash) but after I realized that, aside from the praying nuns, I was the only one not taking photos, I whipped out the camera for a shot as our line filed out of the church. Clearly, it didn't turn out well but I think you can at least see the outline.

The mystery of the Shroud of Turin has been debated for centuries. According to many of the faithful, it's the cloth used to wrap Christ's body in period between the crucifixion and the resurrection. According to the skeptical, it's not. Seems like the only thing that the majority can agree on is that stains that resemble blood outline a figure that appears to have been crucified - and that the fabric is really really old. Whatever your belief is, it was hard not to be moved by the story of the Shroud and of the deep religious significance. While there were plenty of tourists using FLASH photography DURING the priest's prayer (seriously - that irritated the heck out of me), there were plenty of the truly faithful and the interested academics. Since it could be another decade or more before the Shroud is brought out for public viewing, we felt very grateful to have been in the right place, at the right time, in 2010.

Day 23: Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

We had an amazing trip to Florence two weeks ago. It was so great, we couldn't believe that we'd waited so long to make the trip! This photo is of the interior of the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flowers in Florence. Since it was Palm Sunday, we couldn't walk around the church very much. Instead, we admired the stained glass windows and the amazing depiction of 'The Last Judgment' on Brunelleschi's dome.

Bologna

Bologna goes by many nicknames: "la grassa" (the fat, lots of pork and pasta here), "la dotta" (the learned one), and "la rossa" (refering to the red roof tops) and during our short day trip, we found them all to be true.

The "Due Torre" or two towers of Asinelli and Garsendaare at the center of the city and represent the power struggles of medieval Bologna. While you can usually climb the Torre Asinelli (335 ft tall) it was off-limits during our visit, meaning we couldn't see first-hand the tiled red rooftops that Bologna is so famous for. Instead, we started at the Piazza Maggiore, the main square that is surrounded by famous buildings including the Palazzo d'Accursio with a 13th centry bell-tower, elaborate porticos, and the basilica of San Petronio (above). Construction on the basilica began in the 14th century but the Bolognese never got around to finishing the facade, leaving the dark red bricks exposed. Inside, there's a mixture of unpainted walls and dramatic frescos.

The church of Santo Stefano was another amazing view of the day. It's not quite a church, more like seven churches built on a single complex. According to my visiting aunt, making a wish every time you enter a new church for the first time will bring you luck. I wish I'd known that when we first moved to Italy! The church(es) were amazing to see and the progression of architectural style is evident when you can literally move through different rooms and periods.

So, what about the learned reputation? The oldest university in the Western world (University of Bologna, founded in 1088) is located in the heart of the city and still plays host to tons of international students each year. We paid a visit to the Anatomical Theater where Bolognese medical students studied human anatomy on corpses laid out in the center of the room. The decorations are quite ornate - the maple walls have risers built out from them and there are bronze sculptures of mythological creatures surround the room. The bodies were laid out on a marble slab though very little of what's pictured above is actually original. The Archiginnasio complex (original center of the university, now home to a library and exhibit areas) was bombed by the Allies in 1944 and had to be nearly completely rebuilt. That means the frescoes lining the portico ceilings near the courtyards were also painstaking reconstructed (see below).

Bologna is deservedly well-known for its culinary reputation. Bolognese sauce (ragu alla bolognese) has gone international and the capital city of the Emilia-Romagna region is the center of the production of cured pork products like salami, mortadella, and prosciutto. Mortadella, by the way, is the far back ancenstor to modern American baloney but bears little resemblence these days. Mortadella is a SPECTACULAR sausage seasoned with black pepper, pistachio, nutmeg, coriander, and myrtle berries and likely dates back to the early 1300s - it's no Oscar Meyer (thank goodness). So you can see where the "la grassa" reputation comes into play. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch at Da Cesari, sampling the mortadella, famous ragu, and homemade tortellini stuffed with pumpkins and ricotta (two separate dishes).

After lunch, we wandered around the narrow streets behind the Piazza Maggiore that still host butchers and fishmongers, though not quite in the numbers they used to. Nowadays, the streets are lined with small pastry and bread shops, selling homemade tortellini to take home and tons of Easter treats (well, at least in the weeks prior to Easter). I even found the Bologna outpost of Eataly, the slow-food centric shop that I first visited last year in Turin! While visiting Bologna meant that we could cross another city off our "list" before leaving, it was a bittersweet moment as we realized we should've come here long ago and returned many times in between.

Da Cesari, Via de'Carbonesi, 8 (at Via Massimo D'Azeglio), tel: 051 237 710

Barolo Wine Country

With family in town for the week, I played hooky and we crossed another item off our "places to see in Italy before we leave" list. We've spent plenty of time in Piedmont but never visited Alba or Bra.

Alba is home to the great northern Italian festival for the white truffle. That's usually in November so our timing was a bit off but we had beautiful weather and strolled around town, visiting the Duomo (photo at top) and taking in the red brick buildings. We had a wonderful meal in town at a restaurant recommended by the Osterie d'Italia. Lalibera specializes in cuisine of the region and was heavy on veal, rabbit, pigeon, and other delicacies.


After lunch, we hopped into the car and headed to the Langhe hills and the infamous Barolo wine-growing region. Our appointment was at the Renato Ratti cantina for a 45 minute long tour, followed by a wine tasting. The tour was extensive. While we've visited a few cellars and producers during out time in Italy, Renato Ratti is the biggest producer (though they're considered medium size). They produce a couple kinds of Barolo, plus a delicious Nebbiolo and the typical Barbera and Dolcetto d'Alba of the region. We came away with a few bottles of Barbera and Nebbiolo as "souvenirs" of our time. The tasting was generous and delicious, we sampled their nice Barolo (retails for $60+) and did I mention it was all free?


Not wanting to spend the last hours of daylight in the car heading back to Milan, we decided to head to Bra, another nearby town, for dinner and a stroll. Bra is the home of the Slow Food movement (so don't mention McDonald's!) The movement was founded in 1986 to fight against the globalization of food and unhealthy eating habits. Now, there are over 80 thousand members in over 100 countries! The provincial town is also rich in architecture - the church of San Andrea was designed by Bernini - and we enjoyed some star-gazing and another round of the region's wines before heading back to the bright lights of the big city.

Lalibera: Via Pertinace, 24A, Alba
Renato Ratti: Frazione Annunziata, 7, La Morra

Cremona

While my parents and sister were visiting for the holidays, they took a few days trips from Milan and I was able to join on a couple of them. The first was to the nearby town of Cremona. Unsurprisingly, a December Sunday yielded few activities in the small Lombard town but we were able to enjoy a delicious meal, walk around town a bit, and peruse the offerings at the Sunday antique market. As Cremona is home to the Stradivari violin, we were a bit disappointed to see the violin makers and museum closed for the weekend - motive for a future trip?


The cathedral located in the center of town started out in the Romanesque design but the Gothic influence took over in the final years of construction. The church is located on the eastern side of the piazza with secular buildings (and the antique market) taking over the western side.

The bell tower, or torrazzo, is 111 meters tall and has a zodiac clock painted on the front. It connects the baptistry (photo on top) and the cathedral (photo below) itself.


It was a leisurely but cold Sunday afternoon. The bitter temperatures were temporarily put aside by some delicious hot chocolate from gelateria Grom but we were soon driven back to the car. However, no Christmas in Italy can pass without mention of the panettone.


A round cake with candied fruits and raisins based inside, this traditional cake makes an appearance to nearly all Milanese during the holidays season. Like fruit cakes (but better tasting), they are often sent as gifts and my office received several during the season. There are lots of stories that purport to explain the invention of the Panettone - wikipedia has the most famous ones - but there seems to be little debate on the cake's Milanese origins. While I find them a little dry, they make for great pairing with a cup of tea or reconfiguration into french toast on Christmas morning!

The Rest of Barcelona

It wasn't all about churches and markets while we were in Barcelona. We squeezed in a bit of culture and art as well. To be fair, art is Barcelona isn't very hard to find - it smacks you in the face nearly every block.

We visited La Casa Mila, more commonly known as La Pedrera, on day one. The fantastical facade sprang from the imagination of Gaudi though it's not true to his original design. Completed in 1912, it was commissioned by a wealthy couple but ran into numerous problems with the local government - building permits, demolitions, and lack of approval for a gigantic sculpture of the Virgin Mary on the top of the roof. Right now, it's home to a temporary exhibition to the French artist and sculptor Aristide Maillol. Since it was FREE we naturally checked it out and spent some time enjoying the sculpture, tapestries, and drawings. Walking through the beautiful building and loopy atrium, we were extra glad we'd had the chance to come inside.


For dinner our first night, we went to one of most famous tapas restaurants in Barcelona - Cal Pep. Cal Pep is located in the Ciutat Vella (Old Town) but a short walk away from the sailboat-filled harbor we'd enjoyed in the daylight earlier. Dinner was phenomenal. Reading some tips online, we knew to arrive right when the restaurant opened and were able to score seats right at the kitchen counter. Right after the wine was poured, the food started coming out. Fresh clams in a garlic sauce, mushroom tops with parsley, fried calamari....it. was. amazing. We walked to the water, called to wish our families a happy Thanksgiving, and admired the sailboats for a bit after dinner.


Day two was filled with museums, shopping, and lots of walking. We visited Il Corte Ingles, a major Spanish department store, to buy some manchego cheese and some other items I'd promised a friend that I picked up. While there, I got a little distracted by the womenswear section. The design sensibility reminded me of Zara (well, they are both Spanish) but the prices were pretty decent and I nabbed a couple really great necklaces. We spent a fair bit of time admiring the collection at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Dedicated to art of the region and located in the Palau Nacional, my favorite part was the transported paintings from churches like Sant Vicenc in Cardona. The museum designed the layout of the interior to match parts of the church. Frescos from the walls and ceilings were then painstakingly transplanted into safer conditions.


Knowing that nothing could top our dinner from the night before, we stayed low-key but still ventured out to a nearby cava bar. El Xampanyet came highly recommended and once we managed to squeeze our way to the front of the bar, it was obvious why. The cava flowed freely and I was basically in heaven, surrounded by delicious sparkling wine. The next day was short for us since we had to head back to Milan. Since we can't wait to head back to Spain, there was no adios - only hasta luego!

Cal Pep
8 Pl. de les Olles, Barcelona

El Xampanyet
22 Carrer Montcada, Barcelona

All About La Sagrada Família

I've been to a lot of churches. Some for Mass, some just for tourism. La Sagrada Familia is probably the coolest of them all.

Designed by Gaudi, the church has been 'under construction' since 1882.


Why so long? Gaudi had remarked that his 'client was not in a hurry'. His client is God and has all the time in the world.


At the end of it all, there will be 18 tall spires. They will represent the 12 Apostles, 4 Evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and high above them all, Jesus Christ.
One side is called the Nativity.


Another is the Passion.


It's gorgeous from any angle.

Fodor's Photography Contest

Fodor's is having a photography contest called "Show Us Your Italy". With the help of family and friends, I found five photographs that I'm proud enough of to submit to this contest. Now, I know I'm an amateur but there's no harm in trying, right? So, here are the five submissions that I made - thanks to all who helped me pick them out!

Piazza della Scala, Milan


Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa


Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Milan


View of Vernazza during the hike to Corniglia, Cinque Terre


Beach at Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre

Pisa

On our list of places to see in Italy before we leave, Pisa manages to be both at the top and at the bottom. At the top due to my desire to take the cheesy famous "pushing tower" photo (like the guy in the photo above) but bottom because...well there's not really anything else I'm interested in seeing in Pisa.

I know, I know. It's a big city with 20+ churches and lots of other famous sites. However, this was a pretty easy one to hit as we road-tripped from Tuscany back to Milan. We pushed through the crowds of tourists and dozens of vendors to make our way to the Piazza dei Miracoli, aka Piazza del Duomo.

The piazza is justifiably famous and a UNESCO World Heritage site. At the center is the Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral (above), a medieval church influenced by Byzantine and Muslim architecture. The Baptistery (below) is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and is the largest of its kind in Italy but surprisingly humble on the interior.

As for the Tower itself, my guidebook assures me that it leans far less than it used to. Prior to the restoration work done throughout the 1990s, the tower leaned at a 5.5 degree angle. Now "fixed" to the best of the architect's abilities, it leans a mere 3.99 degrees. In practical turns, it means that the top of the tower is about 13 feet over from where it should usually stand. After taking the requisite cheesy photo ourselves (even Cooper had one), we hit the road to head home.

Perugia and Pienza

During our week in Tuscany, we made a slight detour to the capital city of Umbria for a day. Perugia is a major arts and university town named after painter Pietro Vannucci whose nickname was Perugino. Vannucci was teacher to the infamous Raphael who produced several painting in the noted city.


We drove into town and got VERY lost in the tiny streets of the historic old town. Stuck in a corner, literally, we paused to ask a local for directions. What happened next was basically a scene from a movie. This short old Italian man opened the driver's side door and escorted me out. I climbed into the back with Cooper and we let the Italian take complete control. Swerving wildly through the narrow streets, the man quickly maneuvered us back to the main roads. Stopping in the middle of the road (with traffic behind), I jumped back into the driver's seat the man waved us towards a public parking lot. Random story but a good example of the generousity and kind spirit found in many Italians.


Perugia is the home of the Perugina chocolate factory and their flagship store is on the main drag of the city center. Baci chocolates lined the shelves and for those unfamiliar with the candy, the hazelnut/chocolate combination is wrapped in a love note for the opener. We stopped for a yummy granita instead, feeling a pull towards a cool drink instead of thick chocolate in the hot weather.


On our way to the main piazza and Cathedral of San Lorenzo, a large ceramic dog caught Cooper's attention but after a quick sniff, he decided it wasn't worth it. The Fontana Maggiore sits between the Cathedral and the town hall and has 25 sides filled with sculptures of prophets, saints, the Zodiac, and scenes from Genesis and Roman history. The public center, il Palazzo dei Priori, contains the Collegio del Cambia (a one-time financial center), Collegio della Mercanzia, and the Galleria Nazionale - all famous and beautiful buildings in their own right.

On the way back to Montepulciano, we droved down some lovely Tuscan roads and stopped in the outskirts of Pienza when we noticed a gigantic outdoors ceramics shop. After over a year of searching, we finally found the umbrella stand that we've been looking for - and for a good amount less than we've seen similar stands advertised for elsewhere!

When we reached Pienza, the sun was already started to set and we were able to watch from the Via del Bacio (Street of Kiss). The light changed over the hillside and instead of heading to dinner, we grabbed some small plates and local wines at an enoteca. Pairing local honey with pecorino cheese of various aging was basically heaven and a perfect ending to the day.