Driving up North

Traveling up north from Naples, Italy to Germany to compete in our “championships,” we were fortunate enough to pass by all the countries and regions in between. Unfortunately, at the time a bus ride of twenty-two hours did not seem that appeasing; however, the stops we did take we used to explore our surroundings and experience different cultures.

Half the time we did not know where we were at our stops, for our coaches did not want to be bombarded with the infamous “are we there yet?” questions. So it was up to us to discover exactly where we were. I still remember getting up around seven in the morning at one of our mandatory gas station stops.  Still in a daze, I hastily made my way to the rest rooms. I was immediately taken aback. The walls were ceramic, the steps leading down to the bathroom was a scene taken from Cinderella on the palace steps, and the air smelled like morning dew. A little shocked, I continued to walk down into this so called restroom. Automatic doors swung open (after inserting fifty cents into a machine) and I entered a room of bathroom stalls and, attached, was a shower room. I was a bit scared I’ll admit.

After I came out, my friends were just as taken aback. We tried to look around and see where we were, but due to everything being in Euros, I had no idea. I walked up to a menu, and recognized the language as German. Were we in Germany? I walked up to the cashier, and asked (in my broken German) where we were. After scrutinizing me-probably to make sure I hadn’t been drinking to ask such a question- she responded, “Switzerland.”

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I was so excited. It all made sense. Switzerland is renowned for its cleanliness and beauty. Everywhere I looked there were signs of recycling and advertisements for hybrid cars. I was not about to pass up an opportunity to see as much as I could in the two hour break. Consequently, a group of us set out into a nearby town.

All the way into town, we saw mountains of all sizes with white caps surrounding us. It was a beautiful sight, and the air was so clean it actually made us choke at first (coming from Italy it was a drastic change). We saw a big sign upon the entrance of the town: Berner Oberland.  We came into a small village that had medieval looking remnants, and a big clock on what looked like a castle loomed over the entrance. The smell of pastries and bread filled our nostrils, and instantly we forgot about exploring and ran into the nearest bakery. I have to say the crème filled croissant that I purchased has had my mouth watering ever since.

Unfortunately we were forced to run back to our bus before we were stranded there (which I wouldn’t mind at all). I have every intention of returning and visiting those ski slopes that are famous all over Europe. The western part of Bernese Oberland houses the ski resort town of Gstaad, which goes on to the east for miles and miles; a skier’s dream!

Homesick

Perhaps with the recent pile of homework and exams hitting me from left and right, I have become somewhat homesick. It's funny that when we are in high school, we would always say to our parents (especially in a heated argument) that we could not wait to go to college. Now that we are here, we can't wait to see familiar faces again. The grass is always greener on the other side, right?

Well Naples was no different for me. Going into the heart of Naples didn't really seem like an occasion at the time. Usually my friends and I would focus solely on the negative aspects, like the piling mounds of trash, or the strays running to and fro. Now in State College, I miss the chaotic hustle of that old city.

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Amid the trash, there is beauty-literally. One of my favorite places is by the port at Castel dell’Ovo. At night it is beautiful to see the lights out on the water from all the ships and yachts, and it is especially amazing to watch the lights shining down from the medieval castle that juts out into the water. Dating back to Medieval times,

According to one of the most fanciful Neapolitan legends, the name of this castle derives from the egg (“uovo, “ in Italian) that the Latin poet Virgil hid within the  dungeons. The egg was protected because it was said to hold the castle’s protection from enemies.
The entrance to this castle is free, and very often it is used for special occasions like weddings and exhibitions. The DoDea school I attended actually had their graduation ceremony there a few years ago. That is, until it was deemed dangerous due to increased protection against terrorism. How amazing would it be to say you graduated in a Medieval castle?

There are also many restaurants that surround the castle. Last time I visited home for winter break, I ate with my senior friends down by the bay. Situated right under the castle, there is a cozy pizzeria where I could non resist but to order my favorite ‘Buffalina” pizza (pizza with only fresh mozzarella and tomatoes.” Even though most tourists order seafood, being right on the water, I have decided that the water is just a little too murky to order fish. Even though Naples is full of problems, to find bits of beauty like this castle make it all worth while.

Lake Constance

I am a beach girl at heart. However, it is not always possible to have the water at my finger tips. That is when I escape to the mountains and find a lake to dive into. The rolling landscape, the mild climate and a plethora of life contained within the Lake Constance in Germany immedietly took my breathe away when I visited my friend this past summer in the hot month of August.



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What seems like a never ending vastness of water, Lake Constance is the second largest lake in Central Europe. Not only serving as a breathtaking scene for tourists and citizens alike, it is the main source of drinking water for over four million people. As my friends and I decided to take a swim early one morning, we passed by numerous boats cruising by with onlooking tourists. What I did not realize at first was that the lake acts as a boundary crosser, which made it that much more enticing to delve into. On the Swiss, south-western side of the lake, you can literally swim up to the delightful old towns, as well as picturesque townships on the lower side of the lake, like Gottlieben. A famous river cruise starts off at Kreuzlingen, leads through the Untersee to Stein, and then continues along the Rhine to Schaffhausen. At the other end of the lake, boats cast off to connect to the Old Rhine river. Of course we did not swim this course, but took our canoe out later to travel most of the length of the river. Over forty miles long, we decided to travel the length of it over a two days span, waking up on the third day with tremendously sore arms.

An interesting fact that I did not know about this lake is that the water around the edge of is quite shallow and features some marshes which are home to approximately 250,000 different kinds of birds. Some merely nest there during their winter migration while others take up residence throughout the year. The birds feed on shellfish, plants, and some venture out into the middle of the lake to find larger fish. I was lucky enough to see the live action of what looked like a sparrow scooping up a fish double its size.

Carnival!

When we think of carnivals, we think of cotton candy stands, shows, and various other ride attractions. However, the carnivals, especially in Italy, are conducted in a much different matter. Instead of clowns and cotton candy, they wear masks and consider it as a holiday. The Carnival of Venice is an annual festival, held in northern Italy. The Carnival starts 58 days before Easter and ends on Shrove Tuesday, which is referred to as Fat Tuesday or Martedì Grasso-the day before Ash Wednesday.  The origins of this celebration can be compared to our version of the Forth of July. This celebration of “liberation” was from a victory of the "Repubblica della Serenissima", which was Venice's previous name. They were forced to fight against the Patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrico. After their victory, in honor of the heroes, the people started to create cheers and dances through reunions in San Marco Square. This reunion did not become official, though, until the Renaissance Period.  Today, approximately 3,000,000 visitors come to Venice each day for Carnivals. Venice is renowned for their beautiful masks even in the eastern hemisphere.

When I went to visit, I was taken aback at just how large and lively the celebration was. I came during one of the most important events. It was the contest for the best mask. This event, which occurs at the end of the carnival (which is a main reason I was so surprised they still were so lively). There was a crowd of lined couples walking down the streets, all in beautiful masks and gowns. A jury of international costume and fashion designers votes for "La Maschera piu bella", or the most beautiful masks.  It was like living in a Disney movie with all those dressed up people around me! Of course I wanted a mask. That is until I saw the prices. The average price for a handmade mask was around seventy dollars…needless to say I got one of the smaller scale masks.