Updates & a Comment or Two on Italian Wine

Buona Sera,

Regardless of it being after one in the morning here, I feel the need to update my blog for the first time in what seems like weeks. Dealing with the novelties of a new country and culture can at times be infuriating and has definitely distracted me from updating you guys on my progress. Once you come to Italy, specifically Florence, you will see what I mean when I say that the people here have no qualms about speaking their mind. Offending each other comes naturally to the Florentine people, and I have had to learn to develop a much thicker skin. Insults are a thing of beauty, apparently, and I find myself with quite a lot to learn in that department. When somebody cuts another driver off (and the roads here...no words can quite describe how pericoloso, or dangerous, everything is), it is second nature to come up with some nasty quip to offend not just the driver, but their ancestors and the whole family. I find myself in awe at the overall lack of propriety of the people in this city, though once you get used to it I guess it can be a bit humorous...except when it is directed your way. At that point, it's on you to either find it amusing or let somebody have the upper hand when it comes to control.

The food in this region completely makes up for anything I have had to deal with, insults or otherwise. Forget preservatives and butter, the traditional Tuscan dishes are cooked with high quality olive oil and only the freshest of ingredients. I have fallen in love with foccacia Genovese con formaggio, or an Italian form of thin cheese bread. With some good Extra Virgin Olive Oil, fresh ground pepper and a bit of salt, it makes the perfect snack. Also delicious are the many different forms of cioccolatini and the pastries here...wow. It would be very easy to spend the day eating different Tuscan dishes, to be honest, and there are many a good pasticceria overlooking several of the major monuments which makes sightseeing a true delight.

Speaking of the major monuments, I was able to finally go inside Santa Croce for the first time last Thursday. Unfortunately, Giotto's terrific frescoes depicting the life of Saint Francis of Assisi in the Bardi chapel to the right of altar are blocked off by scaffolding, as well as Cimabue's beautiful Crucifix. The original Crucifix was very heavily damaged in the flood of 1966, when over 15 feet of water supposedly crashed through the front doors and damaged a large number of pieces within the building, and is visible in a museum off to the side. In fact, most of the massive church seemed to be under some kind of restoration or construction. We were only able to see Michelangelo's tomb, constructed by Vasari, from afar, though many of the other tombs within the building are at least partially accessible. Dante's cenotaph is one of the more interesting, since there is still an ongoing debate over whether or not his ashes ever actually made it to the city. He was only pardoned for his sin within the last century, despite having died in 1321, and his remains were hidden inside a false wall in a monastery in Ravenna. When you take a look around, the first thing that might catch your attention is the large number of half destroyed, or whitewashed, frescoes that only partially adorn the walls. We have Giorgio Vasari and his 'great' mind to thank for this, as he believed many of these decorations detracted from the Franciscan message of the building. Oh Vasari, how wrong you were. While the lack of side aisle wall decoration does draw your attention towards the massive altar, it is a travesty nonetheless to destroy beautiful works of art, no matter what your intention. For example, the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century led to a widespread iconoclasm that in turn resulted in the destruction of countless altarpieces and other works of art that once adorned religious buildings. Andreas Karlstadt may have thought he was doing the right thing but I like to think that even Martin Luther himself would have found his penchant for destruction abominable.

Anyway, enough about Iconoclasm and the disappointing lack of access afforded visitors of Santa Croce. I was informed that most of the work being conducted was in anticipation of the tourist season, which enters full swing in a few months. Regardless, it was very upsetting not to be able to visit many of the things I had read about or studied in depth. Onto a happier subject: Italian wine. I must confess that when I came to this country, I was not the biggest fan of red wine. In fact, I found it difficult to consume even a single glass and much preferred white wine for the taste and lack of resulting headache. After spending the past month sampling various red wines, I can confidently say that I have been converted. I now prefer to enjoy a glass of a good Chianti or really anything with Sangiovese grapes. The more organic the grape, the better. Most of the wines from the region of Tuscany are incredibly tasty, and you really would be hard pressed to go wrong with any selection. The prices are incredible as well, and I find myself limiting myself to no more than 1.5 bottles a week for fear of becoming a wino. For a delicious Chianti Classico, a personal favorite, you do not have to spend more than 15 euros. Incredible. Well, it's not almost 2 am here and I honestly could write about the wine and cuisine of this country, specifically this region, for another several posts. More to come later and I promise updates will be more frequent from now on. Pisa this Friday, Amsterdam and the Netherlands the week after that, and Athens the week after that for my spring break. Get like me,

E