Outside the Vatican Museums

Mrs. Vacohdach (trip co-ordinator): Did you enjoy the museum?
me: yes, it was very interesting...
V: You do not have such good museums in America, I think.
m: No, we have very good museums in the states as well.
V: but they're more modern.
m: No, they also have ancient things.
V: I don't think so.
m: . . . excuse me, I think Annetka is waving me over.


Just because I'm an American doesn't mean I'm a culturally inferior, mostly stupid child.

computer failure

Around nine o clock last night, Zuzana and I were watching a movie on her computer when it suddenly lost consciousness. Being unable to revive it, it has been removed to the computer hospital until further notice.

I'll continue this blog venture when the patient has recovered. sigh...


(for the logically curious amoung you, this notice comes from a computer at the school where I'm volunteering.)

Italy News, Pt. 1: Florence

I was instructed to take many pictures in Italy, and I did the best I could...

We began our trip Wednesday night at 6:00 and arrived in Florence at 8:00 the following morning. People who have traveled long distances with me know how well I sleep on trains and buses, i.e. hardly at all, and so while I enjoyed Florence, I was also stupid with exhaustion. Oh well...

Early Morning View. The girl in the foreground was also named Marie, and she and I and Jason (the exchange student living with the Miloschewsky's) hung out for much of the trip.

We began by admiring this church.

In Florence, there were many statues by famous people just hanging around in every square, which is pretty cool. (I'm sorry, I'm not sure how to turn the picture around...just tilt your head to one side to get the appropriate angle) This is one of a series of eight or ten we saw on the way to see...

Florence Cathedral.

And the...baptismarium (sp?)...across the street. It is the oldest building in Florence, first century I think, pretty much unremarkable except for the door, which is scenes from the bible beaten into, I think, copper. I tagged along with a Japanese tour group to listen about it :) and learned the Japanese word for baptism (senrei).

Next we went to the Medici family private library/chapel, although we didn't have enough time to go inside. I tagged along of an American art history class trip group to learn that there was a big competition to design the facade of the building, which Michelangelo won. However, because of the political situation, the facade was never built. The front of the building is rough like this because it is supposed to be supporting a facade.

While I was absorbed in taking this picture, a mime tapped me on the shoulder and scared the living daylights out of me. He motioned for me to put some money into his hat; I rummaged dramatically in my pocket to produce...a button. He didn't want it, but everyone had a good laugh.

Next we went to "the prettiest square in Italy." I'm not sure about that; there were these houses on one side, however, which were very pretty.

I really liked all the flowers in the windows all over the city.

To finish off the day we visited this bridge.



These were once houses, and then regular shops (butchers, etc.), but people complained because of the smell. These days it is all tourist shops.

There are more pictures of Florence, but some of them didn't upload properly, so I will add them tomorrow. Here is one last picture of the beautiful city.

testing! This is a rose