My Fantastical Trip to Italy
Registering for the International Children’s Literature class was a bit of a plunge for me. I enjoy traveling, but I am a worrier. This would be my first time venturing into international territory, and I would be with strangers. I am the type of person who tends to invent the worst possible scenarios in my head, then stress about the likelihood of them happening. However, I am glad to report that once my plane landed in Bologna, Italy all my worries dissipated.
My class and I were in Italy from March 30th to April 6th. There are honestly no words to describe the sheer beauty of Italy. The historic buildings, candy-colored homes, and wild graffiti in Bologna created a beautiful eclectic charm, which I have always found so attractive.
The first day of our trip was a tiring, exciting, whirlwind. Our group powered through the jet lag and took Bologna head on. I feel in love with the hazy, relaxed attitude the city, and Italy in general, exudes. Street vendors were everywhere selling flowers, produce, and meals, people sat on the patios of cafes sipping espresso, and the smell of mouth-watering food engulfed the streets. The ornate decor was everywhere and I felt like I could not fixate my eyes on just one thing; everything was gorgeous. We ended our day with a delicious meal at Trattoria il Tarí. I think that eating in Italy has ruined me. Nothing will ever taste as delicious as the homemade pasta and bread.
The next day, my class and I took a trip to Ravenna. This was a beautiful city filled with mosaics, churches, shopping, and good eats.
One of the churches we visited was the Archiepiscopal Chapel. This site is the only Early Christian oratory that has survived to present day. It was a lavish chapel filled with mosaics. The ceiling was breathtaking.
We also visited the Basilica of San Vitale. This is a giant church dripping in mosaics and iconography. This is one of the most important examples of early Christian Byzantine art and architecture. We also saw the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, another beautiful church full of mosaics. Visiting these churches, along with the many other on the rest of the trip, was an indescribable experience. I am not religious, but viewing these churches was a delight. Seeing them was almost a sensory overload. There was so much history, art, and beauty that it felt impossible to take it all in. I am glad that I was able to visit as many churches as I did.
I had fun shopping and ate decadent treats that day. One of my favorite desserts are meringues, and I found a little bakery that had meringues filled with beautiful, red currants. I indulged in some gelato, dined on deer bolognese, and finished my night with some grappa (grape brandy that tastes exactly like the Serbian plum brandy my grandpa makes) and pizza.
The third day of the trip was touring Bologna some more and exploring the churches in the city. We visited the Basilica of San Dominico. Saint Dominic’s remains rest here.
After, we saw one of my favorite pieces from the whole trip. In the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Vita was an installation of 6 life size terra-cotta figures reacting to the death of Christ. The details in their faces were haunting; they looked like they could have come to life. Mary Magdalene was particularly fantastic. Her robes flying around with her pained expression really made for an awe-inspiring piece of art.
We also visited the Basilica di Santo Stefano. This is locally known as the Seven Churches. This is a series of churches that has been added to over time. It was such an interesting place because you could track the age of the buildings based on the art style it was decorated with. I was shocked when I learned one of the buildings I was standing in was built in 8O A.D. The most insane and amazing thing about Italy was that it felt like you were always standing on a piece of history. It is such a different experience from living in the United States, and I really miss being able to take in that beauty every day.
When we were finished touring churches, Holly, Dina, Elizabeth and I split off from the group to explore. We stumbled on an indoor market. It was a large building filled with different vendors, restaurants, and bars. We really liked this place because it felt like a place the locals frequented. We got an amazing lunch here and looked around for a bit. After, we went shopping and walked around, enjoying the beautiful day. That night, we went to a restaurant that a local recommended to Holly. I had spinach ravioli and it was mouthwatering.
On the fourth day of our trip we had a free day. The group was able to explore any part of Italy they wanted. Rebecca, Christyn, Samantha, and I took the train to Venice. It was a picture perfect, sunny day. Venice was unlike any place I have ever seen. It was a glorious little city surrounded by water, full of oddities, lush colors, and a ton of people. It was truly breathtaking. When we first got off the train, we immediately were greeted by the Grand Canal. It was the most scenic, lovely site I have ever laid my eyes on.
We walked around through the narrow streets that were so charming it was ridiculous. I felt like I was in an Italian art film the entire time. We went into many stores, and one of my favorites was the mask shop. The masks were strange and beautiful, and it was amazing to see the owner’s workshop in the middle of the store.
We had a delicious lunch at an outdoor cafe. I finally had my favorite meal, gnocchi, and it did not disappoint. We all shared a delectable tiramisu, and headed to St. Mark’s Square. When I walked into the square, I had such a rush of emotions. I felt so small in comparison to the breadth of craftsmanship, artistry, and beauty of everything in the square. I think that’s when I truly understood why people love to travel so much. The whole world is so diverse and amazing, I want to see and experience it all. St. Mark’s Basilica was so large, that I could not even begin to understand how it stays so well preserved. It was gorgeous, and exuded luxury and elegance.
We then went on a gondola ride. It was so fun, and I am happy I experienced it. It was calming and lovely to view the city on the water.
We wandered around a bit more and took the train home. I will never forget this magical city, and I hope to take my mother and father there one day. It has always been their dream to visit Venice, and now that I have experienced it, I know that it would be a tragedy for them not to see the beauty.
The fifth and sixth day of the trip was dedicated to the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. This was honestly the coolest experience. I feel like any book fair I go to from now on will be lackluster because this was so amazing. The fair was insanely large. It was in many different buildings, and countries all over the world had booths full of books to try to sell to publishers. The artistic talent that was exhibited at the book fair was on another level. Everything was so beautiful that I did not know what I wanted to purchase. The way that the different countries decorated their booths was whimsical and mesmerizing. It was obvious that they wanted to represent their home countries as creatively and perfectly as possible.
My favorite booth was probably Korea. They had such a diverse assortment of books to pick from. They had many inventive methods of packaging and heartfelt stories. My favorite book, which sadly was unavailable to purchase, was about a cat and dog who share lunch and become friends. It was so quietly kind that it really captured my attention.
I noticed many differences in European vs. American publishing. In other countries, they seem to give their children more credit in terms of intelligence. There were books that covered difficult themes, were very delicate, or unusual that would never be handed to a child here. The packaging and presentation of the books is far more intricate. There is true love and craftsmanship that goes into making books here. Also, I noticed that television characters are not as prominent in the books as they are here in the United States. There is definitely less shame in other countries over the process of potty training, and I noticed a trend of books that could be built into toys. So interesting and awesome.
All in all, the book fair was such a fantastic and amazing experience. I urge every librarian to try and visit because there is nothing else like it in the world. I bought many books to bring home and lots of different art cards and booklets to show my friends, family and colleagues. When we got back to the residence after the first night of the fair, we went out to eat at a cool cafe that had all sorts of different food. I drank delicious wine, ate appetizers, and had the most amazing panna cotta and macarons.
On the last night after the book fair, we went back to Trattoria il Tarí and had a yummy farewell meal. When we got back, Holly and I went out that night and walked around Bologna one last time to say goodbye.
The next morning we all said our goodbyes. Some of us, like me, were heading home. Others were traveling to Rome. My flight home was less than stellar, with a three hour layover and a yipping dog on the ten hour flight. It did not bother me though. I had just experienced Italy! This was the most wonderful experience I have ever had in my life. It is unforgettable, and I feel very lucky to have been able to immerse myself in a new culture while developing myself professionally. I returned home with lovely souvenirs and memories I’ll always cherish.
Ciao Bologna. Hopefully I’ll see you again someday.
Thank you for everything, Thom. You were an amazing guide and the best company. Really, this trip would not have been as great as it was without you. Yaaas Italy! ;)
