A German Holiday

Kind of like a Roman Holiday but totally different in every possible way. And Audrey Hepburn would've probably called me a lush, a glutton and a heathen after she heard about my trip to Deutschland.  I went for 5 days to visit a good friend of mine, Ricarda, whom I met on my first day in Turin.  She did a semester abroad at my university then went to Austria to do an internship at Sony and she'd just returned to her homeland when she insisted I come visit for a few days.  Naturally, as you all well know by now, I couldn't resist an opportunity to collect more passport stamps.  Plus Ricarda flew in from Austria to surprise me on my birthday, I simply had to return the sentiment and go see her in Germany.

Rathaus on the Elbe River in Hamburg, Germany.

Reuniting with Ricarda in Deutschland!

Due to the near impossibility of direct travel to Germany from Italy, I chose an out-of-the-way flight leaving from outside Milan and arriving in a town outside Hamburg.  Ricarda met me at the airport and accompanied me on the bus ride into the city - we spent that time catching up on summer happenings and dishing about everyone from school (as is necessary between friends).  Once in the center we took a short walking tour and sat down near the Elbe River for a drink.  Later we made our way to her friend Meike's (pronounced like our Micah) house and had an amazing dinner of grilled meats, kraut and potato salad.  Meike was a bit shy to speak English with me, but once we opened the second bottle of prosecco she'd opened up a treasure trove of vocabulary and had the most adorable 1940s accent.

Hamburger!  I'm American so of course I think that's funny.

Being silly with some Urkel glasses.

We sat around her cute patio for a few hours just chatting, me often just listening to their German and trying to imagine what they were saying.  We had plans to go out on the town as Hamburg is apparently well know for its nightlife.  And when did we leave the house, you ask?  1:30AM!  How European is that?  Back home if we'd left at 1:30 the next 30 minutes would be looking for parking and we'd have to head home once we arrived downtown.  But not in Europa.  1:30AM translates to party o'clock over here.  We took the metro to the Reeperbahn, which was (if you want a blunt and rather accurate description) the equivalent of Bourbon Street if it had a lovechild with The Red Light District.  Did anyone else know that prostitution is legal in Germany?  Yeah not me.  In Italy that's a no-go.  So that was a Hamburg experience I'll never forget.  We found some non-shady places to dance and toward sunrise o'clock we popped into a karaoke bar to sing the night away, much to my delight.  Awesomely bad song selection of the evening: Backstreet Boys, Quit Playin' Games with my Heart.  Legendary!  I really felt like I was back in America for a second because it reminded me of all the fun times I had singing with my friends at Ego's on SoCo!

I love that Germans know all the words to BSB greatest hits.

I'll spare you the true hour of my return from the Reeperbahn, mainly so my parents don't have a heart-attack.  The next day when we woke up we had brunch then rode the ferry up & down the Elbe and did some window shopping in central Hamburg.  I happened upon a cute turquoise maxi dress at H&M for 3 euros, score!  We then rode the train to Oldenburg, which is Ricarda's hometown.  Once we arrived her lovely parents greeted me with open arms and fed me with so much good food.  I felt like an exotic houseguest and I tried my few key German phrases as to impress her parents which I think worked quite well until I ran out of phrases.  I know it's silly but I felt almost guilty for not knowing German and being able to fully communicate with them even though they understood my English.

you know, riding horses in Germany.  just your standard Sunday afternoon.

really though, couldn't this be Texas?

Day 3 we had breakfast on the terrace in her lovely backyard - a large corner lot with lots of green, blooming flowers, chairs for lounging.  The day was spent in the neighboring town of Rastede where Ricarda's horse, Stella, lives in the summer.  We took her out and I hopped on a horse for the first time in what must've been 8 or 10 years.  All the Germans were surprised a Texan didn't have more horseback riding experience, haha.  The land was beautiful and picturesque, a small pond, green grass, giant trees and horses walking around in the sun.  Heck it could've been Texas if you didn't know the context.  So there I was, riding a horse in North Germany, thinking that this trip couldn't get much better.  But it did!

Getting some sun on the North Sea inside a Strandkorb!

The next day we went with another girl from the stables and took the newborn philly and her mom, Calista, to be judged and branded by the local jury.  It was a unique event to experience, and I thought it almost comical that I'd be witnessing a horse branding in Germany and not in Texas.  Sometimes it's hard for me to imagine that normal life exists in every corner of this planet.  We then got our bikinis and drove (on the autobahn!) about 20 minutes to the North Sea.  There was a low tide so we didn't see any water but there was plenty of mud which is apparently a well-known, healthy mud because Germans come from all over to walk around in it.  There's even a word in German for wandering around in the mud at the North Sea: Wattwanderung.  And we did it!  I think I'm feeling better already.  They also had these little loveseat beach pods for sunning despite the wind.  In order to really experience the North Sea I was told I had to try matjes, basically a raw herring sandwich!  I took the tiniest bite (he still had a tail, I mean, gross) but I still tried it, and it wasn't bad.

Not sure how she does it, but Ricarda can wear mud and still look great!

Me eating a bite of a Matjes sammie, eeek!

That night after an amazing dinner of roasted ricotta & honey-stuffed figs wrapped in prosciutto and boiled asparagus with honey mustard dipping sauce, we took the bikes to the center of Oldenburg, which was delightful.  In Germany there's such an efficient transportation infrastructure that there are 2-way bike lanes everywhere and everyone is on 2 wheels, at least in the smaller, flat cities.  Ricarda's dapper boyfriend Alexej joined us and gave me a very thorough historical tour of Oldenburg, pointing out the oldest buildings, the sidewalks where only the nobility would've walked, and an old gunpowder tower at the former city walls.  Following the tour we parked our bikes at Franziskaner and ordered a beer at a biergarten (when in Germany, as they say!) and Alexej gave me a history lesson on German beer production.  I learned that Hefeweizen (hefe = yeast, weizen = wheat) is typical of Bavaria, southern Germany, where there was a decree in 1516 that wheat be added to sweeten beer.  In the north they decided to save wheat to make bread so their beer has hops added instead, which is the more bitter Pilsner.

just fyi delicious in German is lecker.

I'm quite convinced they couldn't be any more adorable.

Day 5 we woke up early to get on a bus and head to Groningen, Holland, a mere 1.5 hours away where Ricarda attends university.  Only a short distance away was another world, another language, another way of life.  We walked around this quaint Dutch city and met up with a friend of Ricarda's.  We perused the avenues, stopped in a bead shop for about an hour, and had lunch at a place called Bagels & Beans.  OMG, Bagels!  Where have you been all my life (aka the last 10 months)?  I also ordered some fresh mint tea which reminded me of Grandma's and happily soaked in the familiarities of home.  Funny how just a bagel and beverage can give you such joy when you're across the pond.  It was such a cute university town and even though it's close to Ricarda's hometown, it's different enough to feel a world away.  One thing I remembered about Holland were the stroopwafels, definitely among the best cookies I've ever had in my life, so I got a fresh one and a package to take back to Italy.

everything bagel + chives shmear + avocado + tomato = Netherlandish bliss.

still in awe of the massive bike culture.  this is just in front of ONE building.

There were canals along the city, even more bikes than Oldenburg, open markets, tiny Dutch houses, lots of young people and tons of coffee shops where people actually sit and relax!  Before we departed on the bus in the late afternoon we stopped and had a chai latte.  It was a bit too sweet but I didn't care, I felt like I was back home indulging in normal sized coffee and not the minuscule ones you find in this boot-shaped country.  We arrived back in Oldenburg in time for dinner: pizza with salmon, arugula and caper-berries!

evening bike ride to Bornhorst Am See outside Oldenburg.

On the morning of my last day we took the bikes into the center at met Alexej at a coffee shop.  I enjoyed not one, but two lattes just to make sure I would remember the taste when I returned to Italy.  I got their help in composing a thank-you card to Ricarda's parents who both came home from work at  lunch time to bid me farewell.  Her mom told me I was welcome to come back any time, even the holidays.  Ricarda and Alexej drove me 2.5 hours to the airport (now that's friendship) and we said our goodbyes.  The only thing that went wrong was the efficient German airport security found my smuggled stash from the Netherlands.  Nothing illegal, just a jar of precious peanut butter I was convinced shouldn't be considered a liquid - it's crunchy, people!

typical German farmhouse with straw roof outside Oldenburg

Overall the trip was wunderbar - I got to live it up in Hamburg, ride horses in Rastede, walk around the mud in the North Sea, visit another country for a day, ride bikes around the city, and eat to my heart's content.  What more could you want from a vacation?  It felt like the trip ended too soon, as I was just starting to communicate with her mom in German (albeit via Google Translator) and get the hang of riding a bike with an umbrella in one hand.  I'm hoping there will be another opportunity to visit Deutschland in the future, I would love to go back!

Rediscovering Torino

There's something about having a bike that gives you a new perspective on a city.  Maybe it's the fact that your usual mode of navigation is altered - you can steer away from main roads the buses and cars frequent and zip through side streets with ease and agility.  You can get places much faster than if you were on foot and, always a plus, you don't have to share a space on an overcrowded public bus with 78 sweaty Italians.

unrelated to this post, but I like it: urban art showcase, torino

I've been love love loving my new routine of walking down the steps of my palazzo in the late morning, greeting the doorman with a friendly "buondì" ("buongiorno" in dialect), grabbing my bike from behind the giant stained glass doors of the courtyard, hopping on and passing through the daily open market just below my window.  What joy, what bliss!  Now that's not to say I don't sometimes fear for my life a little bit when happening upon one-way streets or being forced into an ominous roundabout or bouncing along cobblestone streets with mid-morning traffic.  I get scared sometimes, but mostly I'm figuring out the best routes and discovering new ways to navigate the city.

In fact last week I discovered what I have been telling everyone is the coolest semi-hidden place in Turin.  Or at least it's my newest obsession and the novelty hasn't worn off yet.  I was perusing some travel blogs about Turin looking for exciting places to visit with my bike when I happened upon an article by an American living in Turin written about 5 years ago.  The article was describing locales that reminded her of the good ol' USofA.  Pub grub at the Huntsman: been there.  Shopping at Lingotto: done that.  Luxembourg historic bookstore with a large English section: interesting.  This led me to her page about places to enjoy a good book.  Probably the park, right?  As I said before there's no coffee shop culture here and you'd never see anyone reading a book while sipping an espresso.

Circolo dei Lettori: chi leggi vola (he who reads, flies)

The article suggested Circolo dei Lettori, or Circle of Readers, a cultural association dedicated to anyone and everyone that loves to read and needs a comfortable setting to enjoy a good book.  The space is located on the first floor of a beautiful 17th century palazzo - to get inside you must walk through the luxurious courtyard and buzz 1115# to be let up the marble staircase.  Once inside there is a welcome desk (with people who are actually helpful!) and a room full of modern clear plastic tables and chairs for dining.  Beyond this there is a bar/restaurant and walking back you are greeted by all the splendor of Circolo dei Lettori.  There are themed rooms - one outfitted with a billiard table and red leather chairs; another with antique green plush couches; even one with wicker hammocks.  The atmosphere is warm and magical.  All walls are covered in fabric and portraiture, the ceilings display frescoes and elegant chandeliers.

courtyard at the palazzo of Circolo dei Lettori

The beauty of this place, other than its aesthetic appeal, is that membership in the Circle of Readers is entirely free and open to the public.  Oh and there's an internet connection (unfortunately rare in Italy).  Meaning I can come here to study, bring my laptop and work, order a cappuccino and pen a few pages in my journal, meet a friend for lunch, or find a comfy corner and curl up with my current read.  Can you believe it?  For an American girl who's been missing terribly the coffee shop culture, this is nothing short of a godsend.  And could you imagine a more beautiful location than a 17th century Italian palace to go relax and read?  They also host exhibitions, book-themed dinners and authors talks.  And they have book clubs in original language - meaning that starting in September they'll have an English language reading circle!  Am I so incredibly elated by this discovery, you guys have no idea!

when you find a place to study more badass than this, please let me know

I went here the other morning to work on some translations I'm doing for my professor's cultural association and I found myself right at home.  There was no one else around, so I settled into the billiard room, plugged in my laptop, ordered a cappuccino and got to work.  I don't know why I'm so productive when I leave the house and put myself in another environment, it somehow forces me to do what needs to be done.  I just can't explain the beauty of sitting in this place in all its elegant solitude and working on a project.  Ah-mazing.

I'm looking forward to biking around this summer and discovering new places in and around Torino, as I'm convinced there is so much I still don't know about this city.  I've been here almost a year and just last week I happened upon a place that is now among my favorites.  What a beautiful life this is.

Internship Has Sailed

On Monday (while most of you were enjoying a work-free national holiday, *sigh*) I finished my internship, bid farewell to the Egyptian artist as she boarded a plane back to Amsterdam, and said my final goodbyes to my steel gray semi-automatic Lancia Ypsilon.  I thought it would be harder than it was, but I was so ready to have my life back and not be bound to the responsibilities of a car, and a needy artist for that matter.  Did I just say that?  Oops.  In all seriousness the internship did give me the opportunity to meet and talk with several important curators, art directors and other members of Turin's contemporary art scene.  I went to more art openings, exhibitions and artist talks than I can count and became more acquainted with the city's vibrant creative culture.

urban art showcase, torino

I also learned how to go into a Tabaccheria and purchase Marlboro Lights as a frequent favor for the artist with whom I worked.  I learned how to pick up her friends from the airport and how to attempt to be an art snob with her french artist boyfriend by carrying on a pejorative conversation about a famous collection.  Oui oui.  But all that stupid stuff just comes with the territory of being an intern, I suppose.  During the last week there was an artist workshop at the foundation and I sat in on a few sessions.  I met and talked with visiting artists from around Europe and those conversations were definitely worth the time I spent driving her around and buying her cigarettes.

My supervisor gave me rave reviews when it came time for evaluations.  In fact she invited me over to her house to personally tell me how much she appreciated my work during the summer.  Would've been cool if she'd told me that even once over the last 7 weeks, but whatever.  She told me this internship was a great opportunity for me to become familiar with the Torino scene.  She even asked me to work with her in the fall during Paratissima, a well-known annual european art fair in Turin, to help organize and plan a few exhibitions.  There may even be a chance to help the foundation plan another artist workshop - all of which sounds more interesting than taking an artist grocery shopping at the local supermarket, so here's hoping.

journaling at the Castello di Rivoli contemporary art museum

So now in my immense free time I've decided to get serious about losing some kilos with a friend of mine.  We've been meeting 3 times a week to do either some power yoga, P90 (I'm not cool enough for P90X yet), or some brisk walking action at a lovely park along the river.  I've been biking to her place to meet her (20 minutes one way) so I'll get in some bonus exercising.  I kind of forgot how good it feels to be active and not base your exercise on how far you'll need to walk to the next open-air market or fresh pasta shop.  Energy, I've missed you.  Extreme Sweatiness, didn't miss you so much but I inherited you from my father and with this heat it's inevitable we'd meet again.

I've also planned a little trip up to Deutschland for this weekend to visit the lovely Ricarda, my roommate from Fall semester.  I found a decently priced ticket so I'll be leaving Friday and coming back on Wednesday - that's 5 days of northern German shenanigans. Ich bin excited, y'all!  I'm meeting her in Hamburg, staying with some friends, then heading off to Bremen/Oldenburg to reunite with her adorable family, ride horses and possibly sail around the sea north of Germany.  I really can't complain.