Italian Travels

Check out those coffers! And how about that Oculus? Or perhaps you prefer the classic arch supported by a couple of engaged columns. Did you notice that Vitruvian wave floor pattern? Or are you sitting on your couch wondering what on earth I am talking about. I could spew out a bunch of technical terms and styles, but what I am talking about is design. What I am talking about is my passion. My passion for art, detail and beautiful things.

My name is Lauren and this is my first ever blog post! I don't know if there is a right way or wrong way to do this, but I figured I would just share my thoughts on my life experiences, and maybe by some miracle someone will find it interesting. And what better to start with than my recent adventure in Italy?

For my historic preservation class I was lucky enough to travel to Sorrento, the Isle of Capri, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Paestum, Naples, the Vatican, and Rome for spring break. I saw the ruins of Herculaneum, Mt. Vesuvius, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and plenty of churches I could not tell you the name of. It was one of the most amazing, and most tiring trips of my entire life. But it was such a rewarding experience.

We started our trip on the coast. Never have I feared more for my life than on that drive up the edge of the mountain; winding our way, in a bus, to get to the tip of the Sorrentine Pennisula. In Capri I saw water so blue that the only logical explanation for its color is a sapphire sea floor below. The next day we arrived at the archeological site of Pompeii and I was shocked. I was not anticipating it to be so vast. An entire city, over 2000 years old, was preserved under volcanic ash and debris and I was able to walk through it, imagining what life was like for those long before me. Later in the trip we took the scenic route along the Amalfi Coast. I tried to take pictures at first, but pictures can't capture just how amazing the view really is. With the blue ocean to one side and the lush green mountain on the other, and elegant villas and small towns nestled in between it really was like nothing else I have ever seen. The buildings and structures really looked like they grew up and out of the mountains. And a wonderful thing is that the law now states that nothing new can be built. This piece of paradise will stay that way forever. For a change of pace (an even faster pace) we gradually worked our way to the city of Rome. On the way we stopped by the Palace of Caserta. I stood in a golden gilded dining room the size of a swimming pool. That is crazy. We then made it to our last stop, Rome. It is amazing to me that something new in Rome means that it was built a century ago. To be able to walk through small, quiet alleys, and then accidentally find the Pantheon in your path is breathtaking. I would love to be able to casually tell my friends to meet me by the Trevi fountain. Italy, but Rome in particular, is so drenched in history I do not even think that a year there could cover it all. And then there is the food. The best pasta, pizza and gelato I've ever had; but you'll have to taste it for yourself to be sure.

So that is my extremely condensed version of the highlights from my trip to Italy. It was incredible and I honestly am not sure if anything can top it; but there is a lot out there in the world. I am excited to see what is next!

If you have any suggestions for my next adventure comment below.

#travel #italia #design