Oddities

Did you know that the first tube station to have an escalator was Earl's Court Station?  No?  I wouldn't have thought that either, especially since there is definitely no escalator there now.

On another note, I have recently needed to use the Westminster Tube Station as a connection sight for some of my outings.  A thought occurred to me.  It would be the perfect place for a sci-fy movie.

Especially with all the cubby holes and everything.  Can't you just see something Mission Impossible-esc happening there?

Two Days, Two Plays, Two Fabulous Museums

A lot happens here in a short amount of time, it seems.  Or at least a lot happened in the last two days.  Wednesday I went to the Science Museum and saw a production of Nicholas Nickelbey.  Thursday I went to the Museum of Natural History and saw After Miss Julie.  All of these things deserve attention.

While I was not able to finish either of the museums, despite spending about four hours in each, I greatly enjoyed them.  Each of them will be frequented again.  The Science Museum held some pretty cool stuff.  I liked the time and space exhibits the best.  Surprisingly, the evolution of clocks is rather fascinating.  Another fascinating tidbit: the point of view of the space exhibition.  In American Science Museums it's always Buzz Aldrin this and Apollo 11 that.  Not in Britain.  They actually had a large section dedicated to the Russian side of the Space Race.  The downplay of American achievements and the highlight of the Soviets was extremely interesting.  I guess every country does this sort of thing, though.  We all boast of our achievements and sweep our mistakes and our competitor's achievements under the rug.  Britain did this, too.  Sure they may have had a few space blunders but they were at least able to develop their technology further, so says the Science Museum.  The failure is not what matters.  What matters is the processes.  Shameless.  That's what we are.  Simply shameless.

Now, Nicholas Nickelbey is a book by Charles Dickens that was adapted for the stage.  It should have stayed a book.  The play we saw was a half, cut down version of an eight hour play.  This meant that the actions jumped about, the script was jumbled, and there was no conclusion.  There may not have even been a climax.  There were plenty of entertaining parts, to be sure, but the play as a whole was very much a blunder. Thursday night's performance was much more well received.

Thursday was a wonderful day.  The Natural History Museum taught me about dinosaurs.  It also explained to me how my memory works and how the body operates.  It even demonstrated that the mongoose is the closest genetic relative to the hyena (I know!).  Of course, after four hours it was lunch time and we hadn't even finished the blue section of the museum.  But all is well.  The museum is free and open all year round.  It was a splendid beginning to the day.

After Miss Julie played that night at the Young Vic, a hip and young theatre on the other side of town.  It was a fabulous performance.  The acting was raw and exceedingly convincing.  Dominic Cavendish says in his review of the play, "With an alcove-hidden band of three allowing fragrant echoes of wartime standards to waft across the evening’s haunting, ardent action, here’s a kitchen-sink drama with an erotic difference, a blast from the past that feels like a play for today."  It was gripping.  You couldn't look away even when you wanted to.  Natalie Dormer, the actress who played the title character Miss Julie, was sensational.  She was able to play her innocent, deteriorating, bipolar, upper class character perfectly.  She also played Anne Boleyn in the Tudors series, among other t.v. and movie roles.  Her fellows were also fantastic in their roles and the intimacy the theatre provided allowed for a closer relationship to develop between the audience and the actions on the stage.  All in all, I'd call that an instructive and entertaining first week.

She Stoops to Conquer

The first play of the ACM season kicked off last night to smashing reviews.  She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith was the perfect play to begin our time in London.  It was hilarious and fun, witting and whimsical.  The story is a bit like the General Inspector as it has plenty of mistake identities and misguided situations.  The lost gentlemen, quirky squire, and overbearing mother are hilarious.  And, since it is a comedy, it ends in a wedding (or at least the promise of one).

This is the poster the National Theatre put out to promote it.

I know, sort of gives you the wrong impression, doesn't it?  However, the play was still fantastic.  And the set was amazing as well.  The Olivier Theatre is able to rotate 360 degrees and lower a 40 foot contraption beneath the floor.  They have automated lights, a fog machine, and microphones that aren't too overbearing.  And they did set changes in a new and fun way.  They chorus would come out and sing a few words, not really words, but notes, as the set moved around.  They did fun dances and entertaining mini skits.  It was very effective.

Excerpts from some reviews are on the link below.
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/68406/productions/she-stoops-to-conquer.html

A Two Day Kind of Paris

The first place our excursion took us in Paris was to the Louvre.  I knew the Louvre housed one of the largest collections of Renaissance Art and that it had many other exhibits as well.  What I didn't realize was that I would enjoy spending four hours in it as much as I did.  I easily could have spent much longer there, too.

The first place we went after entering into the huge glass pyramid (which is super hot, I might point out) was the Denon Wing.  This is where sculptures by Michelangelo are housed, where the Mona Lisa lives, and where there is a rather impressive staircase with a very familiar statue as the focus.  I happen to have a miniature of this Nike sculpture sitting on my desk at home.  My beloved sister, Danielle, often tries to steal it from me.  Sometimes she even comes close.  After seeing how impressive the original is, however, there is no way she's getting close to it again.

After the impressive staircase was an even more impressive gallery of Renaissance paintings from Italy.  There was a fresco on the wall leading into the exhibit and I was able to identify the artist without the aid of a placard.  Guess I did learn something from all of those site visits when I was in Italy.  Another painting in the Denon caught my attention.  I was drawn to it before I knew what it was.  Then I figured out I had actually been there and maybe that is why I loved it so much.  It's a painting of the St Francis Church in Assisi.  The underground church (first to be build with a second built later over top) was truly magnificent.  Turns out the only picture I have of it is now the one posted below.

But enough of Renaissance art and the Louvre.  They are fantastic and all, but that was only one thing I did while in Paris.  We also went by the river, saw Notre Dame and looked in on some great pastry shops.  But the magic of Paris is not just above the ground, it is beneath it as well.  So, into the catacombs of the city we went.  The catacombs aren't actually as old as you may think, either.  They were a project started in the late 18th century to help reinforce the city or some nonsense like that.  For over a hundred years the bones of people from the Cemetery of the Innocents and over 150 churches went into this mass grave.  The result was nothing great for city support.  But it did make a hopping tourist destination.

Once above ground again we headed for a much more serene Paris mega tourist spot: The Eiffel Tower.  We stayed near the Eiffel Tower for a few hours, seeing it in all its aspects, including when the lights dance on it's surface.  All of those images are shown below.  We were going to climb it but the line was far too long and decided to take a little carriage ride instead.  Super fun and magical just begin to describe it.

And that was my first day in Paris.  The next day was just as beautiful and I actually ended up getting sun burnt.  We went to Sacre Coure, a marvelous church on a high hill with the best view of Paris.  We saw the Moulin Rouge and sat by the river for an hour or so and went to the Triumphal Arch.  Then we went across town to the Pantheon and called it a day.  There were of course things we didn't do and more that I would have liked to have seen but all in all I do believe my time in Paris was well spent.

The Beginning of the Progression into the West

Travelling to London had its ups and downs, just like everything.  It was a long day.  Our bus going to Pisa had mechanical troubles and we had to wait for the next one.  Then our flight at Pisa was an hour late.  Then we stood in line at immigration for about two hours (not exaggerating).  However, we did manage to find train tickets into the city for half price.  We got all of our things into a cab at Paddington Station.  I didn't realize the black ones were the real cabs.  The ones with the doors that open the opposite way in the back and have plenty of leg room, even with five suitcases inside.  That was another highlight of the day.  Then we got to our flat.  That was an experience.

Our flat was still messy and gross from the people before us and they didn't clean until we left three days later.  It didn't help that Amy and I heard a very loud, weird noise in our room while we were trying to sleep the first night, either.  However, it all turned out okay and now our rooms are spotless and wonderful.

Coming to London was a bit more of a culture shock than I had thought it would be.  All of the signs were in English and everyone spoke so I understood.  There was a large hustle and bustle and always so many people.  I felt out of place until I sat down at a dinner and heard people speaking in another language.  Turns out I had become accustomed to not entirely understanding the world around me.  Now it seems as if there's too much of it.  And too many people too.  Florence was so quiet out of the tourist side.  Seeing thousands of people every day may take getting used to.

This bit of hysteria made me feel even better about going to Florence first.  The culture shock would have been even worse when I came home.  London will be a good in-between city and a great learning experience. However, I still had one adventure to go before we got into the full swing of London.

A Time of Transition

About a week and a half ago now I toured a theatre.  It's name was the Pergola and it was beautiful.  It had the foundations of a church started far before the Renaissance and had a harmonious fusion of old theatre style with a new theatre play bill.  It felt like going home, being back in that theatre.  It felt comfortable.  There were even crews working to construct the set for their play A Doll's House.

They even had a contraption that could raise the floor level of the main theatre and bring it to the same height as the stage.

Unfortunately it's no longer in use, being completely damaged in the 1966 flood.  All of this was so fascinating to me.  It excited me for London.  I couldn't wait for the time to come when I would leave the silly Renaissance art behind and enter the world of Shakespeare.

But now the time has come to leave and I'm afraid it's extremely more difficult than I thought it would have been.  Honestly, how can I stand to leave a view like this:

This is a view of Italy that can be seen from the villa of the Capezzana family.  They just happen to be at Count and Countess status and own one of the best vineyards in all of Tuscany.  They took us on a private tour and we had a wine tasting afterwards, complete with some little snacks.  It was a perfectly Italian thing to do.

I know I have to move on and when the time comes I will.  In the meantime, though, I may drag my feet a little everywhere I venture in order to soak up as much of the city as I can before I go.

Secrets Revealed

It has been a running joke in our Italian class that our professor is only 17.  Elisabetta is fun and joyous and makes us all laugh.  Which is why when she remarked today that she is actually 49 we thought she was joking.  Turns out she just knows the secrets for staying young and being happy.  She says, "I eat Italian food, listen to rock music, walk a lot and drink wine, but only at night."  Now we all know where to start, I guess.  Doesn't sound too bad.

Making Past Connections

Yesterday a group of us students went to an exhibit at the Strozzi Palace entitled, "Americans in Florence."  This was marvelously serendipitous as it encompassed some of the things I still wanted to say about Florence before I leave it on Saturday.

The exhibit brought together paintings by artists who came to Florence in the early and mid 1900s.  They were enchanted by the Tuscan sun, the bridges, the Florentine's love of antiquity, and the beautiful gardens.  Even 50 to 100 years later people still come to Florence for the same things.  For the gardens especially.

Speaking of gardens, the largest and incredibly beautiful one is at Palazzo Pitti and named the Boboli Gardens.  It is an oasis in the center of a metropolis.  Among all of the historical site and crowded buildings there is a place of peace.  It's beautiful and I love it.  I may have talked about it before, but it deserves the extra attention.  Just look at it.

Life in a Lagoon Looks Slightly Familiar

I recognize this post should have been made over a week ago, but life and classes got in the way.  Although it was postponed, it is here now.

Last Friday, March 2nd, I departed Florence for Venice.  My heart was all aflutter with excitement and anticipation.  I had never been to Venice before and didn't know how it would compare to the picture in my head.  Let me tell you, it was so much better.

Venice was quiet and tranquil.  Being early March the city wasn't too overrun with tourists yet and you could still navigate the city freely.  Sure, we all went to a few churches and had group activities but that's not why I loved the city so much.  The truth is, Venice reminded me of home, but in a completely new and fascinating way.

The water lapped against the man made islands the way it does on the South Pier in Grand Haven.  There was a smell of fish and fresh air and the sun beat gently on your face.  It was perfect.  It didn't have the beaches or the shops and it wasn't configured in the same way as home.  They really don't resemble each other at all.  But they felt the same.

Venice made me long for Spring Lake River and boat rides, fishing and Lake Michigan, the board walk and sand.  It also made me feel calm and peaceful, though, too.  It was a clash of what was right and what shouldn't have been possible.  Venice was beautiful.  But I have a sneaking suspicion that high tourist season isn't quite as fun or quiet.