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Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Snow: first contact
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The siren sounded
How high?
One meter. One meter ten.
When?
About 9, 9:30.
Yikes! Time to get out of Dodge, er, Venice.
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Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Murano glassworks
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Our first view of the alps
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Oh the traffic in this city . . .
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Monday, December 28, 2009
Smashing
The drivers of the water buses are completely mad. They always accidentally on-purpose ram the dock. We were waiting for the water bus and when it came, it smashed into the dock. On every stop, we went up to the dock at breakneck speed and then we heard this awful sound. When we finally smashed into our final stop, we got off and went into the hotel to write our blog posts.
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Enjoying a cioccolate calda
For €3.50 ($5+!!!!), he darn well better enjoy it.
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You guys want HOW much for a ride?
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Riding Venezia's mass transit
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Getting Daddy-approved reading
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Ciao, Firenze
Florence
Florence, or Firenze as it's called in Italian, was one of the most beautiful cities of the renaissance. The architects of Florence took their inspiration from Rome, which had some of the best architecture of the Roman Empire. When Rome fell, a lot that was known about buildings was forgotten, but the Florentines brought a lot of it back. For example: the people of Florence wanted to have a dome on their basilica, but domes had no dome had been built of designed since Roman times. Nevertheless, they built their basilica, and commissioned an architect named Brunelleschi to design the dome. He went to Rome to study domes such as the one in the Pantheon and how they were built, and designed and built a dome for the basilica. It was the first dome built on that scale since the Pantheon. It eventually became the inspiration for many other domes, including St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
There is simply too much of Florence to see in one day, but unfortunately that is all we have. Plus, all day we had to deal with my limp, a result of a disastrous ice skating attempt in Rome. It's not broken, but it will take some time to heal completely. In our little excursion we visited the Academy Museum, where Michelangelo's sculpture David is housed, the fore mentioned basilica with the dome, and the Ponte Vecchio, or "old bridge". There is definitely more to see in Florence, but we just don't have the time. This morning we will be taking the train to Venice. I definitely look forward to seeing it.
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Florence, or Firenze as it's called in Italian, was one of the most beautiful cities of the renaissance. The architects of Florence took their inspiration from Rome, which had some of the best architecture of the Roman Empire. When Rome fell, a lot that was known about buildings was forgotten, but the Florentines brought a lot of it back. For example: the people of Florence wanted to have a dome on their basilica, but domes had no dome had been built of designed since Roman times. Nevertheless, they built their basilica, and commissioned an architect named Brunelleschi to design the dome. He went to Rome to study domes such as the one in the Pantheon and how they were built, and designed and built a dome for the basilica. It was the first dome built on that scale since the Pantheon. It eventually became the inspiration for many other domes, including St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
There is simply too much of Florence to see in one day, but unfortunately that is all we have. Plus, all day we had to deal with my limp, a result of a disastrous ice skating attempt in Rome. It's not broken, but it will take some time to heal completely. In our little excursion we visited the Academy Museum, where Michelangelo's sculpture David is housed, the fore mentioned basilica with the dome, and the Ponte Vecchio, or "old bridge". There is definitely more to see in Florence, but we just don't have the time. This morning we will be taking the train to Venice. I definitely look forward to seeing it.
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Sunday, December 27, 2009
The fake David
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Three blocks off the main drag
Hint: if the menu's in English, we need to keep going.
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Saturday, December 26, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
First time on the ice
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Okay. Here goes nothing.
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Saturday, December 19, 2009
Domeing away
I have climbed a lighthouse using stairs, and what I just did was a
lot like it. I climbed St.Peter's dome today and it has 517 stairs. It
was hard work! First, we just climbed some stairs (204 of them) until
we got to the roof of the church. Then the staircase got thinner. Then
they got very thin. Then we got to the top. We looked at the view for
a while, then (finally) we went back down.
lot like it. I climbed St.Peter's dome today and it has 517 stairs. It
was hard work! First, we just climbed some stairs (204 of them) until
we got to the roof of the church. Then the staircase got thinner. Then
they got very thin. Then we got to the top. We looked at the view for
a while, then (finally) we went back down.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Parthanon
I have always read about the Parthanon, but I never thought that I
would ever see it. In school I have read about it, and it seemed
amazing! It had a huge dome on the top (it had a hole in the middle).
It had alcoves that once contained paintings. It had a lot of other
cool stuff. If you ever go to Rome, visit the Parthanon.
would ever see it. In school I have read about it, and it seemed
amazing! It had a huge dome on the top (it had a hole in the middle).
It had alcoves that once contained paintings. It had a lot of other
cool stuff. If you ever go to Rome, visit the Parthanon.
There! Now that's more like it.
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Sleek train-airplane
I have never been on a bullet train before. This was the first time I've been on one. I've also been on a airplane, and the train reminded me of one. It had folding tables, cabin lights, and a tubular shape. They also had AC power. I sure liked that train. Would you?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Caveman Italian 101
Girfle. Groooooooooooooog. Rooboo? Goo!
Foodbloobagooooooooooooooooooog. Boob.
Bufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufuufufufufufufufufufufufooooooooof.
Gargle. Goooooooobagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagaga
understand.
That dialog that you just read (Girfle. Groooooooooooooog. Rooboo? Goo!
Foodbloobagooooooooooooooooooog. Boob.
Bufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufuufufufufufufufufufufufooooooooof.
Gargle. Goooooooobagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagaga
understand.) Was all of this post. Since you don't know boogese, I will
repeat it in English.
We have been speaking Italian for a long time, but at no point ever,
have we understood what we have been actually saying. We have been
saying the Italian version of "is possible (ummmmmm…) we go to station
(ummmmmm…) 17 December (ummmmmm…) 5 in morning (…) thank you." This only
dawned upon us when we ended the call to the taxi service.
Now you know what "Girfle. Groooooooooooooog. Rooboo? Goo!
Foodbloobagooooooooooooooooooog. Boob.
Bufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufuufufufufufufufufufufufooooooooof.
Gargle. Goooooooobagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagaga
understand. " means.
Foodbloobagooooooooooooooooooog. Boob.
Bufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufuufufufufufufufufufufufooooooooof.
Gargle. Goooooooobagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagaga
understand.
That dialog that you just read (Girfle. Groooooooooooooog. Rooboo? Goo!
Foodbloobagooooooooooooooooooog. Boob.
Bufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufuufufufufufufufufufufufooooooooof.
Gargle. Goooooooobagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagaga
understand.) Was all of this post. Since you don't know boogese, I will
repeat it in English.
We have been speaking Italian for a long time, but at no point ever,
have we understood what we have been actually saying. We have been
saying the Italian version of "is possible (ummmmmm…) we go to station
(ummmmmm…) 17 December (ummmmmm…) 5 in morning (…) thank you." This only
dawned upon us when we ended the call to the taxi service.
Now you know what "Girfle. Groooooooooooooog. Rooboo? Goo!
Foodbloobagooooooooooooooooooog. Boob.
Bufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufuufufufufufufufufufufufooooooooof.
Gargle. Goooooooobagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagaga
understand. " means.
-- By Rigel
Caveman Italian
For all the time that we've been in Italy, we have been learning a
good deal of Italian. Only recently however, have we realized exactly
how uncivilized we must sound to the natives here. An example would be
today when we were taking the marina shuttle into town, when my dad was
calling a taxi driver asking whether he could drive us to the train
station from the marina next Thursday at five in the morning. This is a
literal translation of what he said. "Good morning, is possible train
station seventeen December? Yes, marina. Five morning. Thank you."
This may sound a bit like a caveman who happened to need to get to the
train station on Thursday, and that's probably what it sounded like to
the taxi driver. The problem with our Italian is that we only know
infinitives and present tense. This means that we usually have trouble
getting our point across, except when whoever we happen to be speaking
to knows a little English. It has since become obvious to all of us that
we have quite a ways to go before we can consider ourselves conversant
in Italian.
good deal of Italian. Only recently however, have we realized exactly
how uncivilized we must sound to the natives here. An example would be
today when we were taking the marina shuttle into town, when my dad was
calling a taxi driver asking whether he could drive us to the train
station from the marina next Thursday at five in the morning. This is a
literal translation of what he said. "Good morning, is possible train
station seventeen December? Yes, marina. Five morning. Thank you."
This may sound a bit like a caveman who happened to need to get to the
train station on Thursday, and that's probably what it sounded like to
the taxi driver. The problem with our Italian is that we only know
infinitives and present tense. This means that we usually have trouble
getting our point across, except when whoever we happen to be speaking
to knows a little English. It has since become obvious to all of us that
we have quite a ways to go before we can consider ourselves conversant
in Italian.
-- By Orion
Sunday, November 29, 2009
VOOM
I never knew that dingies could go as fast as
motorboats. Well, ours can, at a maximum speed of 11 knots. For those
who don't know, that's fast. For our dingy, that is up on plain. The
froth behind our boat looked like a zipper, more than anything.
We used that big motor for going to the beach. with
our small motor, we can go there in about six minutes. with our big
motor, we can go there in about two minutes. We used to have to row
there because the motor didn't work. This took about twenty minutes. I
hope our motor doesn't fail again.
motorboats. Well, ours can, at a maximum speed of 11 knots. For those
who don't know, that's fast. For our dingy, that is up on plain. The
froth behind our boat looked like a zipper, more than anything.
We used that big motor for going to the beach. with
our small motor, we can go there in about six minutes. with our big
motor, we can go there in about two minutes. We used to have to row
there because the motor didn't work. This took about twenty minutes. I
hope our motor doesn't fail again.
--By Rigel
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Learning Italian
Out of all the languages that I have learned in the last few months,
Italian has been the hardest. On this trip alone, I have had to learn
two other romance languages including one that I have learned from early
childhood. Plus, I have never heard or learned Italian in my entire
life. Perhaps the most challenging thing is that the grammar rules are
similar to Spanish, but slightly different so that it is extremely easy
to get them mixed up.
The first port we stopped at was Bermuda. Being a British colony, they
spoke English. No challenge. Then we spent six weeks in the Azores,
which is a Portuguese colony, so they speak Portuguese. That was not the
hardest thing because it was different enough from Spanish that you
couldn't mix up their rules of grammar. This is a major difference
between Portuguese and Italian.
In Gibraltar the people spoke English except for some, who lived right
across the border in Spain. When we cruised the coast of Spain, we
didn't do much speaking, but I've always learned Spanish as a second
language. Italian is very different in this respect. During the time
we've been here, I've learned some basic Italian, such as the rules of
pronunciation and grammar. By the time we leave Italia, I hope to be
conversant in this language.
Italian has been the hardest. On this trip alone, I have had to learn
two other romance languages including one that I have learned from early
childhood. Plus, I have never heard or learned Italian in my entire
life. Perhaps the most challenging thing is that the grammar rules are
similar to Spanish, but slightly different so that it is extremely easy
to get them mixed up.
The first port we stopped at was Bermuda. Being a British colony, they
spoke English. No challenge. Then we spent six weeks in the Azores,
which is a Portuguese colony, so they speak Portuguese. That was not the
hardest thing because it was different enough from Spanish that you
couldn't mix up their rules of grammar. This is a major difference
between Portuguese and Italian.
In Gibraltar the people spoke English except for some, who lived right
across the border in Spain. When we cruised the coast of Spain, we
didn't do much speaking, but I've always learned Spanish as a second
language. Italian is very different in this respect. During the time
we've been here, I've learned some basic Italian, such as the rules of
pronunciation and grammar. By the time we leave Italia, I hope to be
conversant in this language.
Finally visiting
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The return of The Brick
I saw the brick again last night. Before we got to the gate
that separates the marina from the rest of the town, it was walking
along, then it did this weird 180 thing when it felt me walking behind
it. the funny thing is, it didn't move any of its paws when it did
this. it never did it again.
When it followed us to the boat, as it always does, it sat
on the dock (it always does that too), mewing at us (I thing you know
what goes in these parentheses). then it went to the boat next to us and
moved her head up and down, as if thinking "gangplank, water...
gangplank, water... gangplank, water...". then, as if finally choosing
what to do, it jumped from the dock to the bottom deck.
After exploring for a while, it went to the side of the top
deck and stared at the wide gap between the boat he was on and ours. We
stood, waving our arms around saying "no, Brick, No! We know what you're
thinking! Don't do it!".
Finally, Orion had to get off the boat and coax the Brick to
jump from the boat to the dock. We watched it for a while more, then
went down below. after checking later, it was gone.
that separates the marina from the rest of the town, it was walking
along, then it did this weird 180 thing when it felt me walking behind
it. the funny thing is, it didn't move any of its paws when it did
this. it never did it again.
When it followed us to the boat, as it always does, it sat
on the dock (it always does that too), mewing at us (I thing you know
what goes in these parentheses). then it went to the boat next to us and
moved her head up and down, as if thinking "gangplank, water...
gangplank, water... gangplank, water...". then, as if finally choosing
what to do, it jumped from the dock to the bottom deck.
After exploring for a while, it went to the side of the top
deck and stared at the wide gap between the boat he was on and ours. We
stood, waving our arms around saying "no, Brick, No! We know what you're
thinking! Don't do it!".
Finally, Orion had to get off the boat and coax the Brick to
jump from the boat to the dock. We watched it for a while more, then
went down below. after checking later, it was gone.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Soldering
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