Monday, March 31, 2014

A Reflection of CIMBA


It was the first day of CIMBA and I had just arrived to the beautiful Paderno Del Grappa. I was frantically trying to find my room, unpack my clothes, and meet the other study abroad students. Soon after organizing my room we had a mandatory meeting in the Demarchi Room. As I sat down, between my two friends from home, I looked around and was overwhelmed by all of the unfamiliar faces. As Dr. Al and the rest of the CIMBA staff informed us of valuable information that we needed to know upon our stay in Italy one thing came to me as a surprise. “Look around, by the end of this program you will know everyone in this room, you will become a family”, stated Dr. Al. I laughed with my two friends and thought it was impossible that within three short months I would know everyone in the room and become close enough to call them family. However, that is exactly what happened.

Within the first couple months I had already met so many new friends that have changed my life for the better. It is crazy that it took this large group of students to go half way around the world to form friendships that could have been formed from a few miles away. I have become such great friends with people who attend the University of Iowa with me that I never would have known if I was not in this program. I feel exceptionally blessed to have experienced this program and have met all of these remarkable people on the way. I am particularly proud of the way I have changed as a person over these three months. Throughout the LIFE program I have conquered my fears and become more self-confident. Each new friend that I have met has taught me something valuable about life and has helped me reach out to my full potential. Each destination traveled has left a mark on my heart; also teaching me something unique and leaving me with divine satisfaction. No matter what my destination is, traveling will be a never-ending learning experience and I hope I can partake in something as wonderful as CIMBA again. 

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

5 Courses of Italian Elegance





Chandeliers made of Murano glass spread throughout the rooms with thousands of tiny crystals and various accented hues of pink. Tables filled with fresh hors d’oeuvres that immediately filled one’s nose with such a pungent aroma causing taste buds to water. Fried red peppers combined sweet and savory into a flawless combination. Moist quiche filled with vegetables that were cooked to perfection, brought stimulation to the nose and mouth. Freshly cut speck and chicory from the Trentino region. Each hor d’oeuvre sat so graciously on the table with so much to take in: the sight, the smells and most importantly, the taste.
           
            The atmosphere at Rino Fior was everlasting, making one feel at peace, so elegant and appreciated. This environment dates back 80 years, inspired by local traditions and run by second and third generations of the originators, Dad Rino and Mum Maria. Rino Fior is known for its originality of local cuisines, blending quality seasonal products together to form the perfect blend of tastes into every dish; this was impeccably shown when the main dishes were served. Rino Fior has been given awards for gastronomy, performance, sport and culture.

            Risotto, now a popular dish world wide, was first discovered in Italy in the 14th century. Rice was first introduced in Italy and because of the humid weather became the ideal place to grow short-grain rice. During this time, Milan was known for its slow-cooking principles. When Milan combined its slow-cooking principles to the local short-grain rice and starchy grain mixed with stock, the product was a thick creamy Risotto. Since then, Risotto has been a popular Italian dish enriched with great flavor. Risotto was the first dish to be served for dinner at Rino Fior. The Risotto was made with spinach, beans, peas, and butter. The mixture of these ingredients formed a dish intensified with sharp variations of greens. It was a beautiful dish that tasted even more delectable than it looked. It was apparent that the dish was made with fresh ingredients seeing as not one pea was mushy. They were, however, perfectly shaped and each bite exploded with juicy tastiness. Each dish demonstrated how important fresh and seasonal ingredients were to making the dish so exceptional.

The mixing of local Treviso cheese, fresh pears, and walnuts stuffed into bow pasta formed a dish of pure excellence. The ingredients paired together in the second course dish produced a flavor so succulent that each bite would leave one wanting more. Individually these ingredients are delicious, but when combined they produced a flavor that could not be forgotten. The texture of this dish added to its quality through the softness of the cheese, slight hardening of the noodle, and crunch of the walnut. Many do not realize the importance of texture when cooking a dish but to many; it is even more important than taste. When speaking to a local Italian about this dish I learned that it is not a typical Italian meal. This shows the amount of determination Rino Fior takes into discovering unique and satisfying dishes.

Seasonal fresh vegetables and guinea fowl was the next course to arrive. Once this dish was served, eyes were opening in awe of how delicious it appeared. Bright orange carrots, green zucchini, dark eggplant, potatoes lightly garnished with green spices, and the large guinea fowl wrapped in speck and drizzled with a creamy sauce. Each vegetable steamed to excellence, the carrots filled with the sweet taste they have when raw. The mild, somewhat bland, taste of the eggplant allowed for the other entries to have a richer taste. Guinea fowl is a typical main Italian dish and is filled with great flavor. Although the guinea fowl seemed a bit dry, it tasted delicious when covered in the savory sauce and wrapped with speck. Speck is the most treasured food product of Südtirol, a northern province in Italy. The process of producing speck is careful and long. After three weeks of dry curing, the ham is smoked at a low temperature using low-resin wood. By doing this, the meat keeps its sweet flavor while developing a mild smoky one as well. When cooking guinea fowl wrapped in speck, the intense flavors of the speck soak deep into the meat, making it more delightful than ever. Just the right amount of spices and sauces were added to this course to produce a flavorsome taste but to still incorporate the original flavors of each individual dish. 

The last course served was one to remember; meringue fruit pie. Meringue was invented in a town in Switzerland, but improved to perfection by an Italian chef in the 18th century. Italian meringue is made differently than French and Swiss meringue, resulting in a much softer yet stable product. This helps for the meringue to retain its puffy structure so it will not deflate as quickly. Because of this, meringue can be crumbled on top of pies and numerous other Italian desserts. The final dessert at Rino Fior had fresh blueberries and raspberries incorporated into the center of the meringue pie. These two fruits together appeared so bright and colorful against the crème colored pie, making for a beautiful end to the meal. After taking the first bite, texture was the first thing noticed. The crispiness of the sprinkled meringue on top mixed with the hard meringue bottom and slightly frozen center was magnificent. Each hard bite of meringue against the smooth crème filled the mouth with excitement with every bite. The raspberries were so red and juicy as they were also the perfect combination of sweet and sour. The sourness excited the taste buds and the sweetness calmed them with pleasure. Each blueberry was ripe and filled with an abundance of flavor. The taste of fruit brought forth the sense of summer; a warm sunny day eating freshly picked fruit that exploded with juiciness. The meringue melted into a sugary liquid the moment it hit the tongue, only causing the taste buds to pulsate more. The temperature of this dish was very significant in recognizing its richness. When combining the coolness of the center to the rest of the pie, it intensified the rich tart flavor that was chilled.

Each delectable bite, invigorating smell, and incredible view would be embedded into one’s mind forever.






1) Fraccaro, Alessandro, and Giulio Favotto. "Rino Fior | Ristorante." Rino Fior | Ristorante. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2014.

2) Frauenfelder, Mark. "The History and Science of Meringue, from a New Book by Linda K. Jackson and Jennifer Evans Gardner." Boing Boing The History and Science of Meringue from a New Book by Linda K Jackson and Jennifer EvansGardner Comments. N.p., 4 Sept. 2012. Web. 04 Feb. 2014.

 3)Tristan. "The History of Risotto | The Essential Ingredient." The Essential Ingredient. Essential, 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 04 Feb. 2014.


           



The Sistine Chapel: An Array of Astounding Artwork



            As the sun penetrated through the windows the exquisiteness of the artwork was enhanced. Colors illuminated off the walls in fiery orange, deep yellow, soft olive green, and ablaze blue, allowing each color to glow against the simple white and azure background. The thousands of eloquent, detailed paintings form to create an intricate depiction of the doctrine of the Catholic Church. Michelangelo used his proficiency in anatomy, foreshortening, and profound imagination to construct one of the most beautiful creations of history; the Sistine Chapel.
            The Sistine Chapel, one of the most ornate churches in all of Europe, is the private chapel of the pope in the Vatican City of Rome. The chapel was built for Pope Sixtus IV in 1473 and holds the Papal conclave, the process by which a new Pope is selected. However, the chapel earns its fame from the decorated frescoes within, mainly the Last Judgment and the chapel ceiling. Michelangelo’s own spiritual and psychological state is reflected throughout the artistic expression of the chapel. The artwork found in the chapel is one of the finest and grandest examples of Renaissance art ("Michelangelo").  
In 1508, Pope Julius II hired Michelangelo to craft a grand tomb for him, but soon after asked him to decorate the chapel ceiling instead. Michelangelo furiously argued that he was a sculptor, not a frescoist. However, he could not ignore the commands of the pope so he accepted the job. Instead of painting decorations, as the contract called for, he formulated a fresco cycle for the entire ceiling. Michelangelo spent 5 grueling years craning his neck and arching his back while he painted the fresco alone. In 1512 the frescoes were revealed, exposing new ways to illustrate the human body, new uses of light, form and color (Essak).
It is important to take note of the immense nudity in the artwork. Michelangelo was wise beyond his years and fascinated with the anatomy of the human body. At the age of 24, he began visiting morgues to get a better understanding of the human body. Once he developed a suitable understanding, he began to paint his characters nude. He depicted everyone to be very muscular, but in reality no one appeared that way. Although controversy arose about the nudity, Michelangelo was proud of his revolutionary discovery and placed 20 large nude males on the ceiling. These men, known as Ignudi, are painted as supporting figures at each corner of the five smaller narrative scenes running along the center of the ceiling. Michelangelo exquisitely illustrated the center of the ceiling with nine passages from the Book of Genesis. The pictures devised to create the center fall into three groups: The Creation, Downfall, and Fate of Humanity. Michelangelo painted the scenes in reverse order, starting with the Fate of Humanity. It is debated that the reversed evolution signifies a return to a state of grace. Others argue it is because Michelangelo wanted to save his best work for last and place it over the altar.
The Creation marks the beginning of the story. It is formed with three pictures shown from scenes in the first chapter of Genesis. The first scene, Separation of Light from Darkness, is placed directly over the altar where Mass is held. When relating this scene, to the ritual of the priest raising the host at the altar, it expresses that God’s proposal for human salvation occurred at the very moment God created the universe. This could also be an indicator to why Michelangelo waited to paint this scene last and why it is placed over the altar (Bramblett).  The next scene, Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants, is placed in the third panel. It illustrates that on the Second day, God divided the waters from the heavens. The central panel is the largest of the three and includes the Separation of the Waters from the Land. The Lord is shown soaring over the dull, blue water with his entourage of angels. Behind, the sky is clear, while the other side of the Lord has turned grayish white. The flying figure of the Lord frequently changes directions as one walks through the chapel due to foreshortening. The creation scenes, completed in the third stages of the painting, are the most vigorous of all the pictures in the center ceiling (Ruehring).
Following the Creation is the Creation and Downfall of Adam and Eve. The first picture presented is one of the most well known artworks of all time: the Creation of Adam. To impact the spark of life from God’s finger into Adam, God extends his right arm towards Adam. Adam mirrors the pose of God with his left arm, symbolizing a reminder that man is created in the image and likeliness of God. Regarding Michelangelo’s proficiency in human anatomy, several hypotheses have been made about the background figures shown behind the figure of God giving life to Adam. The background appears to be an anatomically accurate depiction of the human brain and, alternatively, a human uterus. The hypothesis of the human uterus explains the naval that appears on Adam and represents the creation scene as the physical birth of man. The second scene of this sequence, Creation of Eve, illustrates God creating Eve from the side of the sleeping Adam. Temptation and Expulsion from the Garden are represented in the final panel. Two contrasting acts are shown as Adam and Eve take fruit from the forbidden tree. Trustingly, Eve takes it from the serpent while Adam zealously picked it himself. When banished from the garden the idealized Adam and Eve in paradise become hideous (Ruehring).
After Adam and Eve betray the trust of God, humanity was left in the hands of Noah. The story of Noah, the first of the panels painted, illustrates how humankind moved a long way from God’s perfect creation. The first image, Sacrifice of Noah, shows the sacrifice of a sheep. This represents the sacrifice made by Noah and his family after the Great Flood, which destroyed the rest of humankind. The central scene illustrates the Great Flood and humanity frantically trying to find safety while Noah’s family safely floats away. Drunkenness of Noah, depicted in the final scene shows Noah becoming drunk after discovering how to produce wine. While drunk, he unconsciously exposes himself. Ham, Noah’s youngest son, brings his two brothers to the sight and subtly covers his father. Later, Noah curses Ham for witnessing the previous event, which symbolizes the crash of humanity (Bramblett).
As previously stated, the pictorial work delicately expressed on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is an outstanding masterpiece filled with knowledge and emotion. Each comprehensive picture presents an incredible story of Christian theology. Although the eyes are initially drawn to the ceiling of the chapel, they will ultimately be drawn towards the Last Judgment wall. This wall is a depiction of the Second Coming of Christ and the final, eternal judgment by God of all humanity. Souls of humans rise and fall as Christ and his saints judge their fate. Even though Christ is the center of the wall, a man crouched at the bottom of the wall is crucial in understanding the Sistine Chapel. The man is caught between heaven and hell, struggling to identify with God and find himself on the way. Michelangelo was known to be a manic depressant. He contemplated the thought of dying and readily thought about the Day of Judgment, which is reflected through his work. Michelangelo subtly expressed his religious soul through illustration in the Sistine Chapel (“Michelangelo").
Michelangelo used his divine artistic ability to create visual metaphors that portray the doctrine of the Catholic Church. Each painting will leave one speechless and overpowered with emotions. It is rather difficult for one to forget the experience of walking into the Sistine Chapel and immediately becoming captivated by the artwork. In the words of Goethe: "Until you have seen the Sistine Chapel, you can have no adequate conception of what man is capable of accomplishing”


·      Ruehring, Lauren. "Sistine Chapel Michelangelo Paintings." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.

·      "Sistine Chapel." - Ceiling. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014

·      Bramblett, Reid. "The Sistine Chapel ★★★." The Sistine Chapel, from Michelangelo's God Creating Adam on the Ceiling to His Last Judgement on the Wall. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.

·      "Creation of Adam." Creation of Adam. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.

·      "Michelangelo." . Sistine Chapel. Book of Genesis. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.

·      "Rome - The Sistine Chapel Rome - Vatican Hotel." - Palazzo Cardinal Cesi on Piazza S.Pietro. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.

·      Essak, Shelley. "The Sistine Chapel Ceiling by Michelangelo." About.com Art History. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.

Monday, March 10, 2014

An Adventure Filled Saturday On Mount Grappa




Saturday morning I set forth to climb the beautiful Mt. Grappa. What I thought was going to be a lovely, laid back hike, turned into a grueling three and a half hour climb/ tundra trek.

            As I began my journey upwards the birds were eagerly chirping and I could smell the fresh scent of spring air. The beauty of the mountains ahead, the green leaves that began to sprout from the trees, and the purple, tiny, flowers scattered throughout mesmerized me. The sun beat down on my back as I began to feel tired from the constant incline. After an hour and a half of trekking up the mountain I encountered some snow. I was thrilled at the sight of the sparkling snow because I knew I was getting closer to the summit. After thirty minutes of hiking through the snow I laughed at myself for ever being excited to reach snow, because this was much harder than walking on the dirt path. With each step that I took, I plunged into a foot and a half of snow and then had to yank my entire leg out. This process repeated for another hour and a half. Forty painful minutes later I made it to what I thought was the summit, but quickly saw another point farther ahead. I slowly regained my strength and continued forward. Meanwhile, the view was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Looking around all I could see was the glistening snow and the dark reflections from the stumpy tress, covered in bluish-green needles. At last, I could see the top of the mountain 30 feet away. I was in the final stretch and I kept reminding myself that the view at the top was worth every ache and pain I was experiencing throughout my body. Next thing I know, I had made it to the top of Mt. Grappa. As I looked around I felt like I was on top of the world. I was overjoyed and proud of myself for successfully climbing my first mountain. My stomach was growling and in need of food, but I could not move away from this wondrous view. The incredible sight and accomplished feeling are two things that I will never forget. It is truly an accomplishment to be able to say that I have successful climbed a mountain in Italy.