Cardiff, Wales

April 26, 2013            

Today was a great day. Everyone in the program traveled to Cardiff for two nights. We all had a great time together, and we enjoy spending time with our program director. Our first stop was Hereford Cathedral with Mappa Mundi. The Mappa Mundi is known as a medieval time treasure of the world. It was created in the 13^th century to portray the spiritual world. It was drawn on calf skin, and the center of the world was Jerusalem. It was at one time very colorful and has more than 500 drawings of towns, events, animals and so on. Christopher de Hamel, a leading authority on medieval manuscripts, has said of the Mappa Mundi, ‘… it is without parallel the most important and most celebrated medieval map in any form, the most remarkable illustrated English manuscript of any kind, and certainly the greatest extant thirteenth-century pictorial manuscript.’

Next we visited the Tintern Abbey. This church was founded in the year 1131. It is found on the River Wye that creates the border between England and Wales. These ruins are magnificent in their own way and tell many stories of the past. This building was the first Cistercian building in Wales. It was first colonized by monks, and then its community grew significantly. It was a very prosperous and flourishing place in Wales. It was also not harmed in the wars with Edward II.  Today, it is a very romantic and majestic place, standing at the bottom of massive, historic ruins. It was quite different than visiting a cathedral, but not of lesser importance by any means.

For dinner, we found a close fish ‘n chips shop. Afterwards, we strolled around Cardiff Park and then the city. We relaxed in the hostel the rest of the night. We needed a good night’s rest for Saturday!

 

 

 

 

 

April 27, 2013

Today we visited the Cardiff Castle, the Millennium Stadium and the Museum of Welsh life. It was a brilliant day that was informative, interactive, and fun.

Cardiff Castle was different than any other I have seen thus far. I really liked our tour guide, and I was able to see inside the dining room, children’s rooms, and more of the royal house and the décor. I really enjoyed seeing not only the architecture, but what the furniture looked like and how they set up the rooms and seeing the way they lived. There were interesting stories behind a lot of the rooms and corners that I would not have noticed without our tour guide. I saw exquisite interiors with stained glass, marble, oak, wood carvings and gardens. After the guided tour I walked around for another hour. This castle has beautiful parkland with towers that I climbed. It has a Roman fort that I explored that was built in 50 AD, and the ruins of the wall can be seen, too.

We were now off to the guided tour at the Millennium Stadium. I was surprised how much I enjoyed my time there. I am not much of a rugby fan, but I was intrigued by this stadium and the history behind it. We were able to see the conference rooms, the practice rooms and prep rooms. We walked out to the stadium from their locker room with the game music playing, which was neat. My favorite part of the tour was sitting in the chair the Queen sat in for the opening game. This stadium can seat around 70,000 people and is the second largest stadium in the world with a fully retractable roof.

St. Fagans Museum was one of my favorites thus far. It is an open-air museum that consists of over 100 acres of parkland. It opened in 1948 and exhibits the lifestyle and culture of the Welsh people. It has over thirty buildings from various places in Wales, as well as St. Fagans Castle. This castle is a 16^th century Elizabethan manor house. There are also houses, a farm, a school, a chapel, and blacksmith shops. While we were there I visited the blacksmith shop, where a man was making candle stick holders in the fire. I also bought homemade bread and goods from the Welsh bakery that were delicious.

That night we relaxed with some newly-made friends in the hostel, making dinner with our new Welsh bread.

 

April 28, 2013

The Museums and Galleries of Wales we visited were diverse and interesting. There were many different exhibits and art galleries. It opened in 1927, and we visited the war memorial as well. My favorite exhibit explained the stories of Wales and the development since the Neaderthals. It had neat archeological finds, too. It took me on a 4,600 million journey. It had mammoths and dinosaur displays that were fun.

The art collection is Europe’s finest behind Paris’. It has five hundred years of paintings and more. It has ceramics, paintings, and sculptures. I was able to see great diversity, from historic to contemporary paintings.

We spent lunchtime and the afternoon in Cardiff Bay. I visited shops and the Senedd building, and walked along the harbor. Cardiff was originally a major world transport for coal and iron. After that industry started declining, Cardiff Bay Development Corporation was set up to regenerate this area. Now this area is the most innovative urban development in all of Europe, so it is now a city of dynamism and splendor. 

Outdoor Pursuits Update

A few weeks ago we went canoeing on the Menai. How gorgeous! The current was pretty intense, so that added to the already vast excitement. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and hopefully I can continue having great canoe adventures through beautiful countryside. Whenever we took a break, we made a fire from scratch, literally, then toasted marshmallows and made smores. It was a pretty great day to say the least.

Another week we went rock climbing outdoors and abseiling on Lion’s Rock and visited Ians Lowes Quarry. Rock climbing outside was extremely difficult, even more than I had anticipated. But I absolutely loved abseiling! We were lowered more than 100 feet down into a quarry that looked almost mystical. It was a challenge, but it was an extraordinary experience.

We also participated in high ropes course and abseiling last week. This was a challenging week, but I was very proud of myself at the end of the day. There were different challenge courses at times 100 feet high, and at the end we could jump off an extremely high ledge in attempt to grab a trapeze. While I was scared almost the whole time during the high ropes challenge course, I jumped off the ledge twice. I was thankful to have all of these opportunities.

Granada, Spain!

 April 20, 2013

            Alhambra was absolutely brilliant. I have wanted to visit Alhambra for many months, and I was afraid the opportunity would not arise. After pondering spending the money for a weekend trip, I am glad I made the decision to see Spain again. It was more than worth it. Alhambra exceeded my expectations, which was hard to do! First of all, I was extremely thrilled we were granted admission. Usually, visitors have to reserve many days in advance. I was not able to do this, so I had less than a 20 percent chance of getting in. After standing in line for an hour, I approached the ticket desk to see a sign that said no longer accepting visitors without a reservation, which I expected. However, he said it was ok, and we were granted admission! We spent about five hours there, and I really enjoyed every minute.

            It is a truly spectacular place. It was titled a World Heritage Site in 1984. In the beginning, we saw the Royal Water Channel and Torre del Agua. We also saw the Puerta de Siete Suelos directly after entering the gate. The gardens surrounding were outstanding and picturesque. Next we saw Palacio Abencerrajes and Convent of San Francesco then the Mosque Baths. When we entered the Mosque Baths, it was very plain inside, which was surprising. Next we entered the Palacio de Carlos V, which was a two story round building with many marble columns. This was an example of Spanish Renaissance architecture. There were also neat Spanish details around Alhambra, such as Puerto del Vino, or Wine Gate. This door had beautiful mosaics in the archway with pretty colors. Right next to it, Plaza de los Alijibes was filled with cherry blossom trees that were so delightful. Next we went into the highlight of my trip, the Nasrid Palaces. I loved the Patio de Arrayares, or the Court of Myrtles, so beautiful! Another great Patio was called the Patio de los Leones, which was a lion fountain surrounded by luminously detailed archways. This Nasrid Palace is Muslim architecture, which is new to me, and quite fascinating and definitely beautiful. I enjoyed seeing architecture I had not seen thus far. Afterwards we entered the lower and upper gardens, the leisure area of the Granadan monarchs, where they escaped from the official routine. And I see why! I was encompassed with such beauty and color. It had a beautiful water stairway and Patio de la Acequia, or Court of the Water Channel. The Puerta de las Granadas, Gate of the Pomegranates, was also neat. There were stunning long ponds and water fountains surrounded by intricately kept gardens.

            Just getting to Granada was fun, too. This was the first time I travelled by myself. I was very nervous, but felt accomplished after I arrived. I traveled from Bangor to Manchester with three train changes and then Manchester to Malaga by plane, and finally Malaga airport to Malaga bus station then a bus to Granada. Whew! While travelling by myself, I met a lot more locals and conversed longer with strangers, which was neat. It was not as scary as I thought it would be, but I have been travelling frequently for a while now. I did have a moment of panic, though. Whenever I arrived in Malaga airport, I thought I missed my bus to Granada. I was very sad, and could not even find the bus to the Malaga bus station to attempt to get the bus to Granada. This would mean sleeping in the airport or paying for an additional hostel and taking an additional bus the next morning. I started crying, and the folks I met on the plane felt bad for me and handed me cash to help. I looked down, and they gave me 40 euros! Another person gave me a pepsi, and another stranger let me use their phone. A lost American girl crying in an airport really does get people places, Tecwyn even recommended it if the situation arises. However, I got there in plenty of time and arrived safely in Granada with friends awaiting my arrival in the bus station.

It was also fun meeting friends in Granada. It felt different than traveling alone because I was not responsible for figuring out where to go in the city, what to see, and how to get places. Also, it was fun to get to know other study abroad students from Spain, asking about their opinions and learning about their experiences. They took us to their favorite tapas bar, which we could not find whenever we travelled Spain alone. Having locals show us the best authentic places, not best tourist places, was beneficial, and I really liked the tapas. Whenever we ordered a drink, we got olives, chips, and small sandwiches with three sauces. I was able to see the culture aside from the tourist attractions. Overall, my trip to Granada was grand!

 

 

Corfu, Greece

Tuesday April 9th
After traveling on a ferry for 20 hours, we arrived at Iguomentia, a Greek island. This was a cute, quiet town consisting of a harbor and a couple of places to eat. I was glad to sit down and have a bite to eat before partaking in yet another ferry journey to Corfu. I found the Greek people very nice and friendly. After landing in Corfu, I was glad to be staying in one place for five days. I was also ready for hotter weather, the beach, and cheaper goods. When we arrived to the Pink Palace, our hostel, I was pleasantly surprised. It was great! It has kayaks, ATVs, a Jacuzzi, beachside lounge, two bars, and my patio had a beautiful view of the ocean. Upon leaving the front door of my room, I was greeted by a valley full of tall green lush trees and beautiful flowers. I was thankful to be surrounded by such beauty. We went for a walk along the coast and it was quite wonderful. The Pink Palace provides breakfast and dinner, so we went back to the hostel to the dining room. I was pleasantly surprised again! Our dinner consisted of salad, soup, breads, meat, vegetables, and rice. I was thankful for our meals at Pink Palace. After dinner we went to the Jacuzzi and then later watched the sunrise from the patio. It was a great first day in Greece!
Wednesday April 10th
It was a beautiful morning and I was able to eat breakfast watching the sunrise on the beach. Once again we walked along the coast, the water was rough and the winds were high, so kayaking was out of the question. We decided to go to Corfu town. I loved it! The first thing I bought was Greek yogurt with honey and nuts. Tasty. Then for lunch we found a traditional restaurant that sold meat and vegetables in a pita for two euros. Those pitas were one of the best meals we had the whole trip. Afterwards we visited the “Fish Spa.” These spas are very popular here. They have tanks full of Gara Rufa fish. So I decided to put my feet in the tanks and they nibbled all the dead skin off my feet. They produce diethanole, which is an enzyme that rejuvenates skin. Also, it is supposed to balance the nervous system and increase blood circulation in feet. It was such a bizarre feeling! I did not particularly like it, but I did not necessarily dislike it either. Afterwards we went shopping for several hours. I enjoyed shopping in Greece the most. I bought a painting here, as well. Unfortunately, Corfu was definitely not as cheap as I had hoped, but I still found good prices. Before leaving we visited an ancient fortress with water surrounding it as well as the central park and sailboat harbor. At the Pink Palace we had a great dinner, pasta with meatballs, and ended the night stargazing in the jacuzzi by the beach.
Thursday April 11th
I woke up later than planned and was greeted by a beautiful, sunny day in Greece. I ate breakfast on the beach consisting of eggs, bacon, bread, and Greek yogurt. Today we rented kayaks for several hours. The beginning was tough because the waves would crash into the shore so it was hard to initially start paddling. Afterwards, it was easy paddling from there. The water was so clear! I could see the patterns in the sand from my kayak in five feet of water or more. The colors were beautiful blues and the cliffs of rock gorgeous. We were able to sea bat caves in the rock cliffs as we were kayaking, as well. After about two hours of paddling we found a place to “park” our kayaks and explore a beach. After resting and eating, we paddled to another beach down the way. Both beaches were great. The paddle home felt like forever, but the scenery was so great! I took a very long nap before dinner. At dinner we met people from England, Slovakia, and Switzerland, which made the evening fun.
Friday April 12th
We had breakfast on the beach with our new friends. We rented a moped or scooter, which was a great decision. The scooter was very fun and somewhat comical. I named her Lucy, and we had a really good day. We drove over 50 miles on the scooter seeing the island and different towns. We went up a lot of winding mountain roads with breathtaking scenery and a lot of sunshine. We scooted to Corfu town for lunch to find those pita sandwiches once again. They were still very delicious. We walked along the coastline of Corfu town before scooting around the island once more before dinner.
Saturday April 13th
Today was a brilliant day. We had an early morning breakfast by the beach before starting another scooter journey. Overall, we went over 120 miles on the scooter both days. Our first destination was Achillio Palace. This architecture was different than I have seen thus far. My favorite part was the ceilings and the gardens. There were outstanding pink blossoming trees and purple flowers lining the walkways. The name “Achilleion” was given by the Empress herself- a person of great respect for Ancient Greece- to honour Homer’s hero Achiles, whom she admired for his strength and divine beauty. The building is of Pompeian style and was decorated with representations and statues of Elizabeth. Next we visited Pelekas. In Pelekas we scooted to the top of a mountain where we had a 360 panoramic view of Corfu. It was striking. Pelekas was one of my favorite towns on the western side of the island. Glifada beach is found there. We then scooted to a bakery where we tried several different traditional Greek pastries, none of which I particularly fancied. Out of the variety, my favorite would be a white cookie with strawberry filling. I specifically did not like the traditional sweet bread because it was filled with syrup and too heavy. Next we traveled to my favorite part of Corfu- Paleokastritsa! This place has marvelous beaches and coves. It is famous for its Bryzantine monastery. The water was so vibrant, clear and inviting yet crashing against the rugged cliffs of rock. Following, we scooted back to Corfu town to find our pitas. Before having to return Lucy, we took her for a 2 hour joy ride around the southern part of the island through small towns and along the coastline. After a great dinner we went down to the jacuzzi and pool. In celebration of our last night in Greece, we partook in the Pink Toga party. We had fun with our friends from Norway and Canada, and it was a great way to end our trip!

Venice, Italy

April 7th

I absolutely loved Venice! It is an incredible feat to attempt to accurately describe Venice with simple words. The city does not have regular taxis, rather only water taxis. There are no cars in the street. There are only skinny streets, canals and bridges. After the last water taxis leaves, the entire place is a ghost town. It is peaceful and lonely at the same time. The water is quiet, calm and serene, the air crisp and silent. The buildings look almost sad with their faded pastel colors sinking into the canals. In contrast, during the day it is a cheery atmosphere with music and laughter, eyes widening every time a gondola boat passes by. It was odd how the only transportation besides walking was by water. The essence of Venice is water canals. Every time I would look around I would feel blissful because I would see a gondolier passing by with his fancy boat and straw hat. I believe this is the most romantic city I’ve visited strangely enough. So far I have described Venice as lonely, cheerful, and romantic. Beautifully, it’s all three in the same day. It is quite different than any other really; it’s not involved in the hustle and bustle of the rest of the world.
Upon arrival I was filled with eagerness to partake in gondola riding! I traveled across a bridge and there it was- the absolute perfect gondola boat. It was such an elegant boat with lush seats and decorations. The boat ride was exquisite! I felt like a princess as we journeyed through the back canals and under bridges. I had been looking forward to this day for quite some time, so this might play a part in this perception. We had an outstanding gondolier, Francesco, who became our friend and by the end I knew he was the best gondolier in all of Italy. Later we met with him for drinks and food in the evening. We shared stories and laughter for many hours and later saddened upon departure but grateful for his friendship and kindness.
We feasted on authentic Italian pizza after our gondola journey. Then we were off to see the rest of the city including Santa Maria dei Frari, Santa Maria dei Giglio, and Piazzo San Marco.
We also visited Palazzo Ducale that was magnificent, formely the doge’s residence and the seat of the Venetian government. This is the very symbol of Venice. It is a masterpiece in Gothic architecture. The facades of this palace overlook Piazzo San Marco and the bay.
St. Mark’s Basilica was also great as it is an emblematic monument of Venice and witness to the public life of the ancient republic. It became the cathedral of the bishop of Venice in 1807. It has a lavish design with gold plated Byzantine mosaics, serving as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power.
Venice is also famous for glassmaking. We stopped by a local shop and watched a local Italian make glass figurines. It was incredible! He took long pieces of thin glass and used fire to make my elephant and ballerina figurines.
Venice will always have my heart.

Florence, Italy

April 5th and 6th
Florence
After settling into our hostel, we explored the city for a great place to eat. I ordered pasta with salmon, which was very delicious. Also, many Italian restaurants offer free appetizers after ordering a cocktail, like tapas. For example, this restaurant offered multiple dips, salad, chips, and different types of breads, nuts, and sandwiches free. There was also live music and the locals were friendly and talked with us. This made for an enjoyable evening.
The next morning started off fabulously at an Italian bakery. I tried this sweet plum bread that was quite good. While walking along the street, we saw a wine & cheese open market which was neat to see. It was very big consisting of at least three rows of independent tents.
We then were able to see the Gothic Duomo Baptistery and Cathedral. The baptistery is the building where the most important ceremonies take place, so it has vast historic and artistic significance. Dante was baptized here along with many other famous individuals. This building can be thought of as a minor basilica and is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, finished in 1128. The architecture is very Florentine-Romanesque. It has very prominent bronze doors with sculptures. It is decorated in patterns of green and white. On the backside there are the Gates of Paradise, named by Michael Angelo, who thought their beauty deserved such title.
Right next to it I visited the Duomo Cathedral. This Cathedral is also known as Santa Maria del Fiore, the Cathedral of Florence. The construction began in 1296. It is a very large cathedral and “the almost bare interior corresponds with the austere spiritual idea of medieval and early-Renaissance Florence: a transposition into architectural terms of spirituality of the great reformers of the Florentine religious life.” I spent more than an hour walking through this Cathedral admiring its beauty. The exterior is decorated in marble panels made in colors of green and pink bordered by white, showing it’s an elaborate 19-century Gothic Revival façade by Emilio De Fabris. Right next to this cathedral is the Giotto’s Campanile, which is a tower that stands 84 meters high built in 1334. It is decorated by pictures of prophets along with hexagons and rhomboids.
Afterwards we traveled to visit the Gallery of Leonardo da Vinci and I bought paintings of Venice from street vendors along the way. I now had paintings from Madrid, Rome, and Florence. This Leonardo da Vinci gallery has over 50 models of flying and war machines along with other things which were produced as exact replicates from Leonardo da Vinci’s codices. This place was neat!
Afterwards we visited the San Marco Monastery. The convent once was the home of Fra Angelico and Girolamo Savonarola. I was able to see inside cells of the monks and their courtyards as well as ancient writings.
Then we visited the replica of Michael Angelo’s David which was pretty neat along with the surrounding statues. Next, we walked around the Florence River and marketplaces. On the way to Ponte Vecchio, I had a ring made for me by a jeweler on the river, a ring that now holds much more meaning than silver. Ponte Vecchio is wonderful as it is the bridge that existed in Roman times, and even after being destroyed more than once, the final three arches were finished in 1345. It has many small shops on the bridge, making it unique and well known to the world.
Shortly after making it across the bridge we found ourselves at 4 Leoni, a fancy Italian restaurant. We sat on the outside patio and enjoyed a nice Italian lunch. Then off to Piazzale Michelangiolo we go!
Reaching Piazaale Michelangiolo was a journey in itself climbing the paths to the top of the hill. But the view was more than elegant. I could see the Florence River, the Duomo Cathedral, bridges, Forte Belvedere to Santa Croce, Ponte Vecchio, and almost all of the town. This was the highlight of my trip to Florence.

Rome, Italy

April 5th

Today was our second day in Rome, and there was plenty to see! First we visited the Coliseum where we stayed for 2 hours exploring and learning the history. It was built in 80AD for Titus. It was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire and now the largest amphitheater in the world. It is known as one of the greatest works of engineering and Roman architecture. This place is massive. It can seat 50,000 visitors and was used for gladiatorial contests along with public spectacles that included mock sea battles, executions, animal hunts and even dramas based on Classical mythology. It was later used as a Christian shrine in the medieval period. It does have some damage from earthquakes and various other tragedies, but it still stands magnificent and a symbol of the Imperial Rome. I greatly enjoyed my visit to the Coliseum.
We then looked around at the Plazza del Colosseo, Arco di Costantino and then stopped at the Foro Romano. There was so much to see here. I was able to see many important ancient buildings that were the center of Imperial Rome as well as the marketplace. For many centuries this forum was the center of Roman life. There were a lot of statues dedicated to various Romans as it is called by some the most celebrated meeting place in the world. I could have walked around for hours looking at all of the ruins, as well. It was neat to think I was walking around the original downtown Rome surrounded by ancient columns.
On our way to visit Vittoriale we saw Arco di Settimio and Campidoglio. Vittoriale was amazing. It is a huge white monument with exhibitions inside. This building was constructed to celebrate the uniting of Italy as a nation and dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king. This building is guarded by soldiers in specific uniform, as well. There is a flame in the front center of the building dedicated to the grave of an Unknown Soldier and Altar of the Fatherland. I could see a lot of Rome after climbing the many steps to the top terrace. The statues of the angels and lions on the top of the building are very neat, too. Inside the building I visited an exhibition called Museo del Risorgimento which was dedicated specifically to the uniting of Italy.
Next on our list was visiting the Pantheon. This is yet again another phenomenal building. I felt very small standing beneath the massive columns. In Ancient Rome, this building was a temple to all the gods commissioned by Agrippa. This is also a fantastically engineered building. Now, two thousand years after it was finished, it is still the world’s largest dome that is unreinforced. It has been preserved very well and is still used today as a church. The square outside called Piazza della Rotonda also contains a lovely water fountain you can sit by and enjoy the view of the Pantheon.
Another great part of Rome is the gelato on every corner! I ate gelato at least three times while in Rome, trying different flavors every time.
Next thing I knew I was on the train to Florence.