Texans in Italy: A Family Affair

I started a new journal last week, one I bought while in Sicily, and it's a good thing I did because what a week of adventures I had!  From Sunday to Sunday I was trekking around this beautiful country with fellow Shultzes and the notorious Shrodes (who may as well be family).  Perhaps you're thinking "a solid week with the fam?  gag!" or "5th wheeling it with the baby-boomers?  no thanks!" But actually my expectations were exceeded and I can honestly say I had a fantastic time.  I was elated to see familiar faces and even happier to personally to show them where I'd been living for the past 8 months.  Plus there's just something heartwarming about being around people from the Lone Star State, namely allowing myself to use y'all more often than usual.

Texas-sized portions

Now, it wouldn't be a true trip through Italy without a few key ingredients.  A large helping of culture, art and history, an gluttonous side of dolce vita with (let's be real here) a dash of inefficiency/inconvenience.  The plan to meet everyone in Milan was nearly foiled by an early morning train station strike in Torino.  *sigh*.  With some quick thinking I managed to make my way by 2 buses and gather the Texas crew to board the high speed train to Rome.  As some of you know personally, there's nothing quite like Rome.  In fact, my Italian host brother once told me Rome is like your first love, it'll always stay with you no matter where you go or who you become.  That's still true for me.  And every time I return I always discover something new.

The fam had their first taste of true Italian food that first night in Roma.  The bottles of local vino were flowing, bread was sopping up olive oil and balsamic vinegar, forks were clinking against plates full of fresh pasta, our laughter was echoing inside the walls of the small family-owned trattoria.  This was the Italy I wanted them to know and to love.  Simple dishes, great wine, impeccable company, and the beauty of enjoying the moment.

awesome view from the rooftop bar

The worry-free agenda continued on Day 2 with a private tour of the Eternal City with an Italian Texas Ex (Hook 'Em!) who truly enriched our experience.  (what really enriched my experience was the rented car and driver we had for the entire day… def beats hitchhiking and sweating on public buses.)  We were granted access to the Hypogeum (area underneath the floor of the Colosseum) to see where gladiators entered the arena and animals/scenery were hoisted up.  Pretty impressive.  From there we checked out Michelangelo's sculpture of Moses in the basilica of St. Peter in Chains; visited some nuns and Renaissance frescoes at the church of St. Cecilia; and peeked through a tiny keyhole atop the Aventine Hill at the Knights of Malta to see a unique view of St. Peter's basilica.

standard father/daughter colosseum pose

And what's a tour of Rome without wandering the dank, dreary corridors of the Catacombs?  A single flashlight guided our way through rows of looted tombs and highlighted a few remaining oil lamps, headstones and bodiless skulls.  Ew.  A necessary trip to Piazza Navona and an unexpected rain storm resulted in our pursuit of the true pride of this country: gelato.  My flavors of choice were an intriguing raspberry-sage and a summery passion fruit.  Upon our return to the hotel (by air-conditioned vehicle, aahh-mazing) I set out with the Shrode family, aka the Merry Midlanders, to engage in some serious coffee culture at St. Eustachio.  This was followed by a lengthy stroll through a local wine merchant's bottega and a quick peek into the Pantheon where I did my best to recite old art history class material.

neck-numbing beauty

Day 3 began entirely too early due to special entry tickets for the Vatican Museums.  Worth it, trust me.  This guide ushered us through the tapestry-covered halls, over the marbled floors and provided us with an exceptional framework for viewing the most renowned ceiling in the world.  We sat at the back of the Sistine Chapel for an hour and a half (what seemed like 20 minutes) craning our necks as she painted us a detailed picture of what Michelangelo's true experience had been in that very room.  Incredible.  I'd been before, though this time I had more of a context and thus walked away even more full of awe.

The Merry Midlanders at the Vatican

St. Peter's Basilica, opulent as always, beckoned us with its fabulously baroque décor and incomparable size.  They'd just moved John Paul II's body into the basilica from the Vatican catacombs where I'd seen him back in 2006 due to his recent beatification.  Props, JP2.  In case anyone's wondering, I didn't spy the current Pope this time around for another drive-by blessing - but that's cool, I'll catch him on the flip side.

At this point in the trip our group split into those who were ambitious enough to do 4 Italian cities in 7 days (Shrodes) and those who are less successful at doing a fast-forward version of Rick Steves' Italy (Shultzes).  Our last night in Rome was possibly the most memorable because a relaxing evening of hotel bar patronizing resulted in a charming conversation with Michele, our barman.  As we chatted, he sculpted us a small souvenir from 3 champage tops/cages which he wired together to make an adorable tiny chair and table/ottoman.  One of those things you'll never forget.  Other than that it was quite simply a pleasure to relax and talk about how much I'm enjoying my time here and how thankful/blessed I feel every day to be having this experience.

courtyard cuteness

Days 4 and 5 were spent exploring the medieval town of Spoleto in the land-locked Umbria region.  Sprawling vistas of hillside vineyards greeted us warmly.  Here we truly relaxed and savored the Italian experience.  The only effort exerted during our 2 days there was traversing steep inclines of tiny streets to find a restaurant and of course the classic quandary: which of these locally-crafted cashmere tops suits me best?  I was happy to share this countryside version of Italy, as it's much different from bustling Rome yet is still a vital component of the true Italian experience.  We lounged on the picturesque terrace at sundown, wine in hand, and tried to drink in the indescribably quaint atmosphere.

spoleto - abruzzo

Day 6 was spent traveling back up to Milan, reconnecting with the Shrodes, and finally adding in that undeniably Italian dash of inconvenience.  We arrived at our "pre-booked" hotel to find the reservation didn't exist and the available rooms the guy gave us were akin to your standard Motel 6.  Except I think Motel 6s don't have shared bathrooms in the hall or bidets next to the bed.  Yeah.  A few international phone calls later we'd found a place across town, but not before the proprietor began yelling at us in Italian for leaving his establishment.  (This point in the trip is where I cemented my growing mastery of the Italian language, everyone.)  I wasn't about to let him insult us, so I raised my voice to his level, used the appropriate inflections to denote displeasure and firmly informed him the room was total shit.  In hindsight I could've used more gestures, but I think I got my point across.  Texas: 1, Italy: 0!

A much nicer hotel awaited us across town and over dinner I informed everyone you couldn't really see  Italy without someone cursing at you, trying to sell you an umbrella while you're holding one, or somehow being conned out of money due to mismanagement of public administration.  Alas.

inside Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan

But the last day, Day 7, was great because we had reservations with Mr. Leo Da Vinci.  Well, his rendition of the Last Supper, actually.  What a privilege it was to be among the few granted entry each day to see one of the greatest masterpieces of all time.  There simply is no describing the sensation one gets from standing in the very room where over 500 years ago Da Vinci painstakingly depicted the highly gestural scene of Jesus and the 12 apostles seated at a table.  Not much could top that experience, but an obligatory trip to the Duomo, the Galleria and Castello Sforzesco was in order.

cool pic from the rooftop bar in Rome

That evening we had cocktails on the patio of the hotel and recounted the trip's best moments.  Among them were stumbling upon a cute leather boutique, a delicious plate of Bucatini all'Amatriciana, reliving the creation of the Sistine Chapel, a memorable night in Venice, lounging on the patio and talking over wine.  I felt like all the memories aptly embodied the true Italian experience: the food, the culture, the wine, but above all the way of life.  The memories wouldn't have been as meaningful if they hadn't been shared with family.  In that same vein, my experiences thus far described on this blog carry great significance for me because I know I am sharing them with my friends and family that read.  Italy isn't perfect by any means, but being able to spend a week with people who love me in a beautiful country is just about as close as you can get.