June 14, Saturday2:05 pm
Last night we all put on our nicest clothes and went to a formal dinner at the city hall. The mayor gave a speech, which my table couldn’t hear very well, so we just sat and enjoyed the delicious meat, desserts and chianti. I have yet to find a favorite food here in Arezzo, but the noodles with white meat sauce they served there was amazing.
I think in the end, pistachio gelato will still win out.
After the dinner, some of our advanced vocal students gave a brief concert. As we finished our meals, men in medieval attire began streaming into the hall and up the stairs, where there was an event taking place to choose the riders for an upcoming event in the city, Giostra di Saracino (Joust of Saracino). The room was very crowded, so a few friends and I decided to cut out and go explore the town instead.
After about an hour of wandering, we finally met up with some other Oberlin students at a place called Mr. Bloom (really), where everyone had some drinks and hung out for a while. I was surprised that the bar played all American club music the whole night – Usher, Pussycat Dolls, Mariah Carey, etc.… and I don’t think it’s because they knew we were there, which is what one of the students said. Even in the piazzas and restaurants, there’s usually American pop music playing. The owner of the gelateria and others I have talked to who play guitar usually list as their favorites as including Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, and Neil Young. (Popular opinion seems to dislike metal though.) It’s amazing what an impact our entertainment has on this country, even in an old historic town like Arezzo.
When I woke up this morning at 9:30 (WOW did it feel good to sleep in), the sun was shining brightly over the entire city. We had rehearsal on the Beethoven septet at 11. By the time we were done at 12 it was pouring rain again – a friend and I had to walk to get some lunch huddled under an umbrella, and our feet got muddy on the streets. Now, as I sit in my room back at the convent, the sun’s out again. I feel like I never left Ohio.
When it rains though, it rains in torrents. I haven’t figured out how the weather works here – I’m not really sure whether it’s influenced by any nearby lakes or other geographical factors – but I do know we’re up in the mountains. Like I said, it’s pretty cool to look out the window across the town and see the other huge mountaintop. Sometimes there’s a visible difference in the weather from here to there.
Well, it’s a free afternoon for me, so I have lots of time for a short pisolino (nap) before I meet friends for the concert tonight. I’d rather do that now, and update later – although it will be Saturday night, we leave for Florence tomorrow morning at 8:45, so I doubt anyone will be out for long.
Ciao,
-Allie
After about an hour of wandering, we finally met up with some other Oberlin students at a place called Mr. Bloom (really), where everyone had some drinks and hung out for a while. I was surprised that the bar played all American club music the whole night – Usher, Pussycat Dolls, Mariah Carey, etc.… and I don’t think it’s because they knew we were there, which is what one of the students said. Even in the piazzas and restaurants, there’s usually American pop music playing. The owner of the gelateria and others I have talked to who play guitar usually list as their favorites as including Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, and Neil Young. (Popular opinion seems to dislike metal though.) It’s amazing what an impact our entertainment has on this country, even in an old historic town like Arezzo.
When I woke up this morning at 9:30 (WOW did it feel good to sleep in), the sun was shining brightly over the entire city. We had rehearsal on the Beethoven septet at 11. By the time we were done at 12 it was pouring rain again – a friend and I had to walk to get some lunch huddled under an umbrella, and our feet got muddy on the streets. Now, as I sit in my room back at the convent, the sun’s out again. I feel like I never left Ohio.
When it rains though, it rains in torrents. I haven’t figured out how the weather works here – I’m not really sure whether it’s influenced by any nearby lakes or other geographical factors – but I do know we’re up in the mountains. Like I said, it’s pretty cool to look out the window across the town and see the other huge mountaintop. Sometimes there’s a visible difference in the weather from here to there.
Well, it’s a free afternoon for me, so I have lots of time for a short pisolino (nap) before I meet friends for the concert tonight. I’d rather do that now, and update later – although it will be Saturday night, we leave for Florence tomorrow morning at 8:45, so I doubt anyone will be out for long.
Ciao,
-Allie
p.s. The picture at the top is of the hill where the park is, next to the church that we visited a few days ago. (Hmm, I guess sooner or later I should learn the name of that church -- it's a pretty popular tourist destination....)
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