Eat...aly

One of my favorite places to eat is in Italy. While I travel I am a vegetarian (at home I am mostly vegan), so that I can taste my way though new cultures. In Italy it is very hard for me to resist good gnocchi, spaghetti, pizza, calzones, spinach pies, focaccia, gelato, cannoli, etc. This weekend was no exception when I traveled with my friend from Pitzer, Erika, to Milan and Venice (Erika is teaching English in Madrid).

Erika and I met in Milan, the fashion capitol of Italy! Before boarding the plane to Milan many people were taking photos of a tall woman, who presumably was a model returning to her home. And as soon as I touched down, I saw designer labels everywhere! While in Milan, Erika and I walked around the city and visited the Duomo (cathedral) and its square. We also visited a castle, and explored both a flea and a Christmas Market. The Christmas Market here definitely had an Italian flare, as most of its shops sold cheese, spices, meat, and sweets. There are many interpretations of the Italian flags green, white, and red colors, but an Italian friend of mine explained that the political and religious explanations are incorrect. In fact, green is for basil, white is for cheese and pasta, and red is for tomatoes or tomato sauce. All of these are staples in an Italian diet and were sold at the Christmas Market. While I did enjoy all the veg-friendly, delicious goodies Italy has to offer, I also enjoyed eating some Nepali/Tibetan momos (dumplings). There was a large international festival in Milan's convention center. I went and practiced my Nepali with people from Nepal, and Erika spoke Spanish with people from Ecuador (where she studied abroad) and some Italians.

After Milan we took a train to Venice to see its canals and various sights. I officially never have to go to the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas because I have been to the real place! Although I experienced Milan and Venice at their coldest, and I hear the hotel is always warm and sunny! When I flew into Milan, the Alps looked clear and when I left they were snow capped! It also snowed a little in Venice, dusting the narrow streets and gondolas. Venice is made up of many different islands, and we stayed on a more residential island called Lido. To get from our hotel to the Grand Canal, St. Mark's Basilica, Rialto Fish Market, etc., we had to take a boat ride. We took many boat rides and walked over many small bridges to visit all the places on our list. It may have been the weather or time of year, but Venice was a little more run down than I had imagined. Regardless, the Christmas decorations, architecture, sea, and food made the trip so worth it!

Happy latke eating, dreidle playing, present opening, song singing, candle lighting, and Hanukkah to those who celebrate!

Milan's Duomo and square:

Venice's Tesoro della Basilica di San Marco, gondolas, Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, and a smaller canal:

'Tis the Season for Christmas Markets

It is officially Christmas Market time in Europe. This means that cities with large town squares have decorations and stalls filled with Christmas shops. Each shop varies in theme, selling delicious goodies, Christmas ornaments, and woolen clothing. Of course, the stalls with candied nuts, marzipan sweets, and chocolate covered fruit are my favorites! I can now say that I have been to three of the top ten Christmas Markets in Europe because I traveled to both Nuremberg and Prague (and two years ago in Vienna). Last weekend I spent a day in both cities to enjoy the merry festivities and get my fill of holiday cheer. While I do not personally celebrate Christmas, the bright lights and happy crowds are fun to experience.

I went to Prague on Saturday, which was an amazingly clear and beautiful day, and met my friends Megan and Asha. After exploring the market for about five minutes, Megan and I decided that we couldn't wait any longer to literally eat chestnuts roasting on an open fire! I first had fire-roasted chestnuts while living in Turkey, and they are very delicious! After our first snack, we checked out stalls selling handmade crafts and ornaments, and then grabbed our second snack of candied almonds and hazelnuts. Still wanting protein, we walked to a Thai restaurant to relax and take refuge from the cold. We finished the night with some unsuccessful ball gown shopping - we have all been invited to numerous balls by the graduating classes at our schools. The first weekend in January, I am going to two balls! Thus, I must learn to waltz and foxtrot!

Megan at an ornament shop:

Sunday morning, I took a train to Nuremberg to meet a friend from college. Unfortunately, his train was delayed so I spent most of the day exploring on my own. But it was still an enjoyable day! My preconceived image of Nuremberg and much of Europe was that it was a dark and dreary place. I most likely imagined this because of their cloudy history. However, while descending to Nuremberg’s downtown, I was greeted with songs that sounded as though they came from Fiddle on the Roof played by men selling CDs with Magen Davids on the cover. Maybe it was the combination of the music and the endless snow wiping clean my beliefs of this town with a muddy history, but as I walked I began to feel more and more jolly. This jolliness could also be attributed to the fact that most of the visitors to this market were happily drinking Glühwein (warm and alcoholic Christmas punch). At this market, I enjoyed eating warm corn on the cob, a pizza-like baguette, and a fluffy and chocolate marzipan dessert. I also explored the Nuremberg Castle, used the bathroom next to the infamous courthouse, and watched the squares clock animate at 12PM. Maybe the weather was causing the delays, but my train home took two extra hour (but it allowed me to finish reading The Godfather Collection).

View from the castle:

View of the market:

Marzipan vegetables and chocolate covered fruit:

I should mention that Plzen was decorated for Christmas before Prague, and has its very own Christmas Market. It is smaller, but definitely very enjoyable. Plzen is also famous for its Christmas tree that won an award last year. Seeing that it has snowed on and off for the past two weeks, I have no doubt that Plzen will have a very white Christmas!