Buona Pasqua!

Or I guess I should say Happy Easter! I hope everything is going well at home because things are going pretty swimmingly here. Not all fun and games, though. I'm sure you've heard about the terremoto in the region of Abruzzo (in southern Italy). It's been quite a disaster and really hard to watch on the news. The television has been inundated with coverage of the earthquake and the effects on the victims and I can't help but be reminded of watching the news of Katrina. Sometimes it's just too much to watch continuously so I let myself tune out when I need to. Thankfully things are moving along, but to imagine all those deaths, especially of those students who were my peers, is heartbreaking.

My internship is going well also. I feel like with all this extra time where I'm forced to hear and speak Italian, things are improving much quicker now. The other day, there was a party for Easter and a small group came to perform for the patrons of Campansi. I was able to meet them during the intermission and we talked a bit. The most interesting part of this story was that they had no qualms about calling me up to the stage in front of tutti to play an American song. What song you may ask? None other than, "Strangers in the Night" and unfortunately I couldn't help them out with all of the words--or fortunately, depending on your punta di vista.

But on to Easter break! I went with my friend Katie to Venezia and had a fantastic time. We stayed outside of Venice at a campsite which worked out pretty well and took the traghetto into the city and back again at night. The first day we got there without any real direction and by a stroke of luck, made our way into Gallerie dell'Accademia with no line and saw some FANTASTIC pieces of art. We spent hours there! After lunch, we also took a stroll through the Ca'd'Oro, or House of Gold--another museum. We met a man that works there who told us he left his heart and soul in America, despite his Florentine name. It made me wonder what it will be like when I'm no longer in Siena because I'm scared I've done the same here.

Comunque, we walked around a bit more in the Venetian labryrinth and found our way to the old Jewish ghetto. I loved the ghetto so much we visited it again...on Easter! A bit interesting, I know, but this section was almost untouched by the masses of tourists and yet had so much character! But after our first visit there, we literally stumbled on St. Mark's Square just before it was time to go home. Since we were under a time-crunch we planned to return for Easter mass.

The next day we started and finished in St. Mark's Square. First, we were in line for Doge Palace. From what I can gather the Doge had a similar function that the Queen of England now has. Doge's Palace served as the doge's living quarters and the seat of the state. There are also dungeons were the acclaimed Giacomo Casanova was held. I found the elaborate rooms to be quite much and couldn't imagine getting much done. In the Grand Council Chamber the first 72 doges are painted around the top border except one. He tried to overthrow the state and, in addition to being sentenced to death, was removed from all memory of the state. In place of his bust, there is a black cloth. That was pretty neat!

After lunch, the second visit to the ghetto and the museum there, Katie and I took some time along the Grand Canal. We met some interesting characters. My favorite moment was when one accused me of having a Tuscan accent! You better believe that I swelled with pride. We ended the day with some music for "the public good" in St. Mark's Square and a great Easter mass in the Basilica. Talk about thrilling! The detail was unbelievable and the music, as Katie said, really pulled you into the experience. Another good visit in a different part of Italy, but as usual, there's nothing like "home, sweet home."