Hello from Sorrento, Italy. Today was a national holiday, Saint Antonin day. This holiday is religious, specifically geared towards Catholics and happens to fall on Valentine's day. Instead of giving candy to each other during class, candy stands could be found through out the streets of the city. In the morning, there was a parade where people part of the church carried a statue of the Saint through out town. This was accommodated by the never ending sounds of bells and fire works. From my apartment, it sounded like cannons were being fired off. While the streets were noisy, there was a moment during the parade where everyone became completely silent. As a foreigner, I did not know why. However, I would deduce it is out of respect of Saint Antonin. If I were to compare it, I would say it was a moment of silence accept no one had to be told to be quiet. I was in another country as outsider, but I will tell you what remains the same. Whenever there is a holiday, there is money to be made. The streets were filled with vendors of all sorts. One street vendor was selling pets, such as birds, turtles, fish, and rabbits. I found this quite amusing. I wondered to myself, are there any holidays in the world that absolutely do not try to profit off of the people celebrating? I might have to research more cultures to find the answer. In the link below are three pictures.
https://twitter.com/MAC_UH_BEE/status/698964055260860417
The first picture is of Piazza Tasso. This is Sorrento's main square. As you can see, it is full of people walking the streets despite heavy on and off rain. Underneath the "snowflake-like" light is a statue of Saint Antonin. I found that the streets at night were just as busy in the day.
The second photo is of a chocolate churner, if that's even what they call them. I like how they melted down the chocolate on the spot. Just another example of how the food is so freshly prepared in Italy.
The third photo is what I mentioned earlier. As you can see, they are carrying a statue of Saint Antonin. I was wondering how much the statue weighed.
Overall, it was a really fun day full of festivities and a great end to Carnivale. Keep coming here for more information about my time in Sorrento, Italy.
Ciao!
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
The View of the City
https://twitter.com/MAC_UH_BEE
In the above link is a photo of the city Sorrento. I am having a hard time posting it to here because all of my pictures are on my phone. This photo was taken fifteen minutes before sundown. A friend and I went on a quick hike so we catch a view. At the bottom of the mountain, there were steps leading up to an old church. What surprised me the most is that people live up on this mountain and have to walk down many flights of stairs before reaching the bottom. I thought that it must be pretty hard to go home at night when it gets dark. I chose this photo because it includes the buildings, the streets, and the coast. Sorrento is a fishing town, and I imagine many citizens own a boat. Located on the Gulf of Naples, it is easy to see why this town attracts so many tourists. It is only an hour away from Naples and no matter where you go Mt. Vesuvius is always in sight. I wonder if it will erupt again anytime soon, although I do not wish that. I plan to continue these hikes and exploring the villages in the hills. While there is plenty of life in the city of Sorrento, there is much more to be seen in the hills. We came across a villa that hosts weddings in the spring. We also thought that in the hills is where the wealthier people live. Exploring the city is like a child walking for the first time. I can't wait, till one day I can call myself an expert of the city.
In the above link is a photo of the city Sorrento. I am having a hard time posting it to here because all of my pictures are on my phone. This photo was taken fifteen minutes before sundown. A friend and I went on a quick hike so we catch a view. At the bottom of the mountain, there were steps leading up to an old church. What surprised me the most is that people live up on this mountain and have to walk down many flights of stairs before reaching the bottom. I thought that it must be pretty hard to go home at night when it gets dark. I chose this photo because it includes the buildings, the streets, and the coast. Sorrento is a fishing town, and I imagine many citizens own a boat. Located on the Gulf of Naples, it is easy to see why this town attracts so many tourists. It is only an hour away from Naples and no matter where you go Mt. Vesuvius is always in sight. I wonder if it will erupt again anytime soon, although I do not wish that. I plan to continue these hikes and exploring the villages in the hills. While there is plenty of life in the city of Sorrento, there is much more to be seen in the hills. We came across a villa that hosts weddings in the spring. We also thought that in the hills is where the wealthier people live. Exploring the city is like a child walking for the first time. I can't wait, till one day I can call myself an expert of the city.
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