Liz Weeden - Gelato throughout Italy

There are various types of research associated with studying abroad, and none surpass the importance of food research. It’s an art form and takes someone with cultured taste to be able to critique the best of the best foreign meals. That being said, the European Odyssey group was given the burden of taste-testing gelato throughout its home in Italy. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it. We slaved away, walking from gelateria to gelateria in search of the best gelato. There were many taste-testing spoon casualties all for the sake of satisfying the all-powerful sweet tooth. From the Cinque Terre to Florence, to Rome and finally Sorrento…no gelato was safe. Some of us stuck to the same gelato formula, hardly veering off into new flavors. Others got a bit adventurous, and one of our peers, Sarah Santos, became Gelato MVP by tasting a total of 16 flavors.

What is the difference between gelato and ice cream you may ask? We pondered the same question. Well in Rome we got our answer. At Teatro Gelateria, one of the owners told us the process of making gelato. Although it was hard to concentrate with all of the flavors staring at us from behind the sloped glass cooler, we found out some of the major differences between the icy treats. Gelato comes from the Italian word gelare, which means “to freeze” and is made of milk, sugar and other flavors (much like its sister, ice cream). There is however a water-based, generally fruit-flavored gelato which originated in Southern Italy and is commonly known as sorbetto. Gelato is often much fresher than ice cream, both in processing and in ingredients. Gelato is usually made with fresh fruit, right from the daily market. We learned that a flavor is natural and authentic if it has coloring that is natural to the actual ingredient the gelato is flavored after. For instance, banana gelato shouldn’t be colored bright yellow because the actual fruit is more of an off-white hue. Gelato made with dairy is much denser than ice cream, which makes it a heavier as well as more flavorful taste.

One of my favorite gelaterias was in Florence. Each night we would walk down our street to the same place, Gelateria Antica, which made fresh, homemade gelato. It was run by two of the nicest Italian men who gave us unlimited tastes and would talk to us and take pictures with us the entire time we were there. They had some normal, run-of-the-mill gelatos like Nutella (a delicious classic), After Eight (Mint Chocolate), Pure Chocolate, Vanilla, Stracciatella (Vanilla with Chocolate Flakes), and Coconut. But they also had unique flavors like “Manga” (Green Tea), Cheese and Pear, Tiramisu, and Ambrosia (Sweet Cream/Honey). It’s really hard to choose a favorite gelateria, but that one came close to the top.

Gelato was no match for the European Odyssey team.

Alexi Knock - Capri, Italy - April 7

On a sunny Thursday, the group decided to venture from Sorrento to the island of Capri. While waiting for the ferry to the famous island, we started a beach volleyball game on the warm sand. Although there wasn’t a net, we were able to have a great game while Italian sun-bathers cheered us on. After the short ferry ride across the Tyrrhenian Sea, we arrived on the beautiful island. Instead of following the crowd and taking the public boat, we negotiated with two sailors in order to get a private tour on their boats. They took us around to the Blue Grotto and Green Grotto, where we were able to explore the caves and even jump into the sea. Each limestone sea stack jutting out from the water was unique and seemed to hold shapes of animals, people, and objects. The sun hit the sea in a way that gave it a beautiful glisten that complimented the surrounding rocks. We passed multi-million dollar villas on the mountains that only celebrities and CEOs could afford. We spent two hours jumping in and out of the boats, lying in the sun, and talking with the tour guides about the European Union and how it affects their lives in Italy. Our day in Capri was one of the most relaxing, pleasant, and painstakingly beautiful days we’ve had on the trip so far, and I hope to one day return to that perfect island.

Kirsten White - Sorrento, Italy - April 6-9

Sorrento is a small, beautiful coastal city on the Mediterranean Sea in southwest Italy. The city is situated on a cliff with narrow, windy roads traversing back and forth until reaching the teal water and smooth pebbles at the shore. A main street on the top of the cliff, lined with pharmacies, shops, restaurants, and hotels, remains busy throughout the day and long into the night. In fact, this is so much the case that the street is entirely shut down starting around five at night, so that families, teenagers, tourists, and even pets can wander through in order to stop for a drink or meal somewhere before continuing on their way. We have the opportunity to stay at a deluxe hostel, a bit farther away from the main street, but nearer to the ocean, which was great. The restaurants near the water serve an excellent variety of pastas, meat, and seafood, so we were able to dine as the Italians do: enjoy three courses over a couple hours while engaging in playful conversations and soaking up the pleasure of good company. Thanks to Linda, Tim, and Hofstra’s network in Sorrento, we were able to conduct classes at the nearby language center called Sorrento Lingue. This institution is designed to compliment traditional high school or university education by providing local Italian students with foreign language classes or providing international students with Italian classes. The teachers and administrators were personable and were pleased when we asked them questions regarding the school, Sorrento, and even the European Union. Moreover, we were able to speak to some of the students there; comparing tests, educational systems, and general lifestyles. I was so excited to discover they all drove motorbikes! Our experience in Sorrento revealed pieces of Italy which we had not yet seen outside of a big metropolitan city. Speaking for myself as well as others, I can attest to the importance of this variety.

Amber Sass - Pompeii, Italy - April 6

In 79AD Mount Vesuvius erupted and incased the whole city of Pompeii. It wasn’t until 1599 that anyone saw it again. Archeologists excavated the whole town and found people and animals perfectly preserved in clay modes. When we found the bodies they didn’t looked surreal. They looked like statues that a sculptor had made. It was creepy in a very cool way. We also walked down to the amphitheater. We walked in to the bottom and had to look up at all the seats. There were people in the seats and it was very intimidating. I couldn’t imagine being there during 70AD and having to walk into a packed arena. The houses were all so interesting and differently set up. One house had a well in the center of it. The way they lived is so different than modern times, it is hard to imagine how they lived in the set ups of some of the houses. Seeing the ruined walls with their original paint colors is as haunting as walking down the semi preserved streets with Mount Vesuvius looming in the distance. I could only imagine the terror and chaos that ensued when it erupted.

TJ Samson - Rome, Italy. April 3-5 - Rosary Blessing

When we visited Vatican City, we ventured to St. Peter’s Basilica. I bought a golden rosary for my grandmother earlier in the day and brought it to the Basilica to get blessed by a deacon. We waited in line for a while and it was finally our turn. We went up to the confessional and met with the deacon on duty. He only spoke Italian and Latin so it was somewhat difficult, but he understood what I wanted. He said a prayer in Latin and blessed the rosary. It was an extremely spiritual and religions experience and I think my grandmother will enjoy the rosary fully.

Michael Dickerson - Rome, Italy. April 3-5 - Vatican City

(Photos by Liz Weeden)

I was raised a Catholic, but I’m a special kind of Catholic. I’m what you call a holiday Catholic. I go to mass on Christmas and Easter. Nevertheless I was extremely excited to go to Vatican City. The Vatican is just oozing with history; the treasures in there cannot be matched. As we drove up to the Vatican Museums we noticed that there were no lines! NO LINES AT ALL!

We perched the vans and then everyone jumped out like we were in the army on a mission. We stormed into the museum and then the day just got better. After we got our tickets I found out that the Vatican, out of the goodness of their heart, was going to give me a wheelchair. HALLELUJAH! It seemed as if the Vatican was trying to make all my dreams come true. I was able to see most of the Vatican while being pushed in a wheelchair; I got to enjoy the beauty in the comfort of my own wheelchair. Each room seemed to have more and more priceless art. As we neared the Sistine Chapel the hallways became thinner, building the suspense. Finally we entered the chapel, and it lived up to all the hype. How Michelangelo managed to paint all that is just amazing. The ceiling showed the books of Genesis. The cool thing about it was that the angels almost looked like they were painted in 3-D. They looked like they were actually jumping out of the ceiling. On the far wall was Michelangelo’s depiction of The Last Judgment - a cool fact about Michelangelo was that he depicted a cardinal that he didn’t like as the devil.

The only thing wrong with the Sistine Chapel were the professional shushers. There were actually guards at the chapel whose only job was to shush. Now I don’t want to be rude, but if your job is to be a shusher then at some point in your life you did something wrong. But hey I guess if you work in the Vatican you almost have to be guaranteed a spot in heaven, or at least on the waiting list.

After leaving the museums Amber, Hannah and I walked over to Saint Peters Basilica. Once we arrived we saw, much to our displeasure that there were lines! How could this happen? But I had one more ace up my sleeve, my fractured foot. After talking to some nice guards, we were able to bypass every person in line. Upon entering the Basilica I just stopped dead in my tracks. It was the most beautiful, grand, amazing church I have ever seen. How anyone could even conceive to build this is beyond my wildest dreams. The high ceilings were able to let in just enough light to let you know that you were in a sacred place of worship.

The Vatican is a once in a lifetime experience. Whether a Christian or not, The Vatican is a worthwhile experience for everyone, especially history and art enthusiasts.

Sarah Santos - Rome, Italy. April 3-5 - Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza di Popolo.

Although Rome was not built in a day, a day was all we had to explore the city. While in the eternal city, there are certain places you just have to visit. First for us was the extremely well known Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain). During the day the fountain is very easy to find - just follow the crowds of people and souvenir shops marking the way there. Once we got to the fountain, I was slightly overwhelmed by the crowds in front of it. This had been the most people I had seen in a single, concentrated area since Paris. I preferred seeing the fountain the night before. It had been relatively empty and just amazing. At night, the Trevi Fountain is subtly lit and has a perfect romantic atmosphere. As is custom, we all threw coins in the fountain and made our wishes. Some wished for a swift return to Rome, others for love, and the rest only they themselves knew. Another stop on our whirlwind Roman holiday was the Scalinata di Spagna, more easily recognized as the Spanish Steps. The Steps are a great place to sit and recover, chat with friends, or meet with a loved one. For me, the Steps were a prime location to just sit and watch the hustle and bustle of the streets below in Rome. For a good amount of the time we were there, it wasn’t crowded or packed with tourists, which helped make the experience more authentic. The Spanish Steps had been designed by an Italian, paid for by the French, named for the Spanish, and formerly occupied by the British. It is also the current home of that omnipresent American fast-food chain: McDonald’s. On the Steps themselves, vendors are constantly wandering around selling roses. Then there was the closer of our day, the Piazza di Popolo, or the “people’s square.” At the center of the square, it is impossible to miss the 3200-year-old Obelisk of the Pharaoh Ramses that Augustus brought back with him from Egypt in 10AD. The obelisk is highly impressive and at its base there are steps and surrounding it there are four fountains with lions squirting out water. The square itself was massive and I couldn’t even imagine how it must be packed with rallies. While we sat there, a group of people passed that were dressed as zombies. One of them came up and handed me a flyer with the date of the next rally when we would no longer be in Rome. This square used to get heavily crowded as well when it was used as the location for the burning of the heretics. This square has quite a colorful history to it. The whole day was quite an adventure. I hope that I too will be granted a swift return to Rome as there is still so much left to experience.