a love for fabric

i felt right at home. standing in a little fabric store. in a big, red ashland sweatshirt. a new skirt pattern in my hand. glorious. marie’s mother is an exceptional seamstress who even owns her own fabric store. she was excited to hear that i loved sewing, as her daughter thought is was just a long and boring process, while i was thrilled to have her show me her new project. i told her how much i missed sewing. how i missed walking inside the fabric store. how i even missed the ironing part. and then she asked. asked me if i wanted to sew something while i was in germany. and of course, you know my answer.
so after brunch on new years day marie’s mother, peitra, took me to her shop. she sat me down at a table and handed me pattern books. the shiny pages glistened in the light just like they had this summer. i quickly turned to the skirt section feeling the pages slip through my fingers. and then spent a while trying to pick out my favorite skirt. oh, it was heavenly. i soaked in every moment. once i had the skirt pattern in hand (whose instructions are only in german, french, and italian) i walked around the shelves of fabric feeling their texture. studying the patterns.

aided by my hands, the scissors sniped the fabric on the dotted lines. the iron warmed and straightened out any wrinkles. my foot pressed down on the pedal and initiated the humming of the needle. and the invisible zipper (my favorite) slid right into place. peitra and i sat together chatting in broken language. being connected through our love of fabric. and i felt right at home. what a beautiful way to spend new years day.

Berlin Day 3

Just to be brutally honest our second day in Berlin was tragic. Nothing worked out the way it should have. Marie and I awoke ready to tour the Reichstag building, visit the Neue Synagoge, go to the holocaust museum, and check out a few more squares. When we got ourselves to the center of Berlin we immediately started for the Holocaust Museum. Unfortunately the museum, to which entrance was free, was closed. I was heartbroken. But we decided not to dwell on that fact and just move on. So we made our way through the city visiting famous squares and tiny neighborhoods: Potsdamer Platz, Gendarmen-markt, and Hackeshe Hofe. Each place was so different. They were little pockets of surprises. It was nice to walk around, but it was freezing outside and drizzling the whole time. Marie and I darted into each building we could to bask in a bit of warmth, but eventually we would find ourselves outside again exposed to the elements.

My favorite building in all of Berlin:Rotes Rathaus. Such a rad color.

Marie who was hungry, wet, and tired.

After being cold, wet, and tired, we treated ourselves to a nice lunch at (ironically) an Italian restaurant. From there we decided to go to the Reichstag building so we could tour the dome. As we walked around the corner our draws dropped. the line. was. so. long. But, more than anything I wanted to be at the top of the dome looking out into the city and then into the parliament room. So we got in line. At the back of the line we started talking about how crazy were we for standing in this weather just to get to the top of a dome. The only thing both of us wanted to do at that point was be in the warm train or in our warm beds. So, laughing at our silly determination we took this picture which says, "why are we standing here?"

If only we knew that two and a half hours later we would still be in line. Not only would we still be in line, but just a few feet away from the door. And if only we knew that we would never get to walk in the top of the dome because we would have to leave and catch our train. And because we would be in line for so long we wouldn’t have time to visit the Neue Synagoge. How tragic. The next time I go to Berlin you get bet on the first thing I will do. I’m getting in line because I will stand in the dome of the Reichstag building.

This is Marie and I before we got in line. Notice the smiles.

And now Marie's smile is absolutely gone as she has been standing in line for over an hour. Check out the other half of the line in the pic below.

But before we headed home we had just a few minutes to see one last thing.

Just outside the train station was the Memorial Church which is a church that was destroyed during World War 2 and now stands as a reminder of the affects of war. Marie and I managed to see the church which made the up for the rest of the day. The church was amazing. If you have some time look up some more pictures of the church on google. Marie and I were sad to leave Berlin, but ready to be home again. And so many more adventures awaited us.

Berlin Day 2

I woke up with fervor the next morning determined to pack that day full of the sites Berlin had to offer. Marie and I quickly got ready and then ate a delicious breakfast (which was delightfully free, as the hostel provided) and then made our way to one of the main train stations. My dear friend Rick Steves had brought it to our attention that a walking tour started here at 10am. Marie and I found the tour guide and asked a few questions before we joined. To our delight, or at least my own, we learned that the tour was a four hour walking tour costing us only ten Euros. But, being poor kids under the age of 21 and having the Rick Steves book, we brought the price down to eight euros. And those were the best eight Euros I have ever spent.

Instead of just hearing the history lesson, I was able to stand where it happened. “And this is where the square where the Nazi book burning of 1933 happened. During that time…” In those four hours I learned so much; or better said I realized how much I didn’t know about the World Wars. I never knew how the wall actually came down and the misunderstanding in one press conference that changed the world. Or how Hitler gained power in Germany and the fire that started the blame game. When it came to the end of the war, all I knew was that Hitler had killed himself, but I was oblivious to how he actually died and the wedding preformed just a day before the incident. And the Thirty Years War and the Hohenzollern family who ruled Berlin before 1918. And how Berlin was a major city contributing to the world before the wars broke out. And how it housed one of the greatest universities in the world before the Soviets took control. Just imagine living in a country where it was cheaper to burn your money than buy firewood. Or imagine being paid four times a day because the money lost its value so quickly. And the Weimar Republic ­­– I had totally forgotten it existed. I learned so much, but the best part was to be there. To stand where it all happened. Here are a few of the places I stood:

In the exact spot the Berlin wall used to stand.

On the East side of the Berlin Wall.

On top of Hitler's bunker.

In front of and under the Brandenburg Gate.

And in Neue Wache on Unter den Linden

And this history was so interesting to me because it is so recent. The city I was standing in is still creating a scab over the recent wound. In Rome the stain of history is pretty much gone. The Romans lived at a different time and the government now is a whole different story now (whether or not it’s a better story could be debated). But Berlin’s history is still very much a part of daily life.

Those eight Euros filled my soul and left me with a desire to study more recent history. I soaked every bit of it up. However as soon as the tour was over Marie and I rushed to a café so we could rest our feet/legs and so I could pull up my socks.

This picture is not from the cafe, but instead from one of the many other times I had to quickly fix my sock before hoping of another train.

Here is the short story of my socks: I was dressed like a sissy Italian when I landed in Germany. I didn’t realize how cold it would really feel. I had brought along my socks from Wal-Mart…which I learned wouldn’t keep out the cold or cooperate with major walking. My socks were constantly slipping off my feet and being a nuisance. The first day Marie and I had to find a place to sit about ten times so I could pull up my socks. To my delight though, Marie let me wear the socks her Oma had knit. Oh, were they cozy. And notice the boots – those are not mine either (tennis shoes are not made for the cold). After the first few days in Germany Marie had me dressed like a native.

We had lunch and then toured around numberous squares. But my favorite part of the evening was going to the Christmas Markets.

There are Christmas Markets in Rome, and especially the market in Piazza Navona is splendid, but the German markets had something special. Maybe because they weren't only for tourists. Or maybe because warm smells of food filled the air. Or maybe it was the tables in the middle. Or the children running around. Whatever is was I loved it. The lights caught sparkled and cheer drifted through the air. The only thing I could do was keep my eyes wide open and whisper, "Marie, isn't this just darling?"

We truly had an adventure that night trying to find dinner (which is a story I will save for when I get home) and were exhausted by the time we found our hostle. That second day in Berlin was one of my favorite days in Europe.

Berlin Day 1

So here I am. Attempting to describe Berlin. A city that I fell in love with in a very different way. I saw Berlin through the eyes of an Italian. The eyes of an Italians cherish the old and adore the artistic details both of which Berlin is lacking when compared to my town. My favorite quote about Berlin is this: “Berlin is ‘very ugly’, if by beauty one intends the harmony which characterizes Italian cities, their spaces and architecture, it looks to us, then, like the moon.” And that’s exactly the way I felt.

I got off the train and just saw buildings. Tall, gray, boring buildings. Berlin is a city of great voids. It is disheveled, degraded, lost, and still being reconstructed. It sometimes feels like an unpleasant place to be with the sad history and destruction that still lingers; but at the same time it’s dreadfully charming. Berlin is a city of interrupted stories, each trying to rise to the top. And that is what makes it so spectacular.

Because it is not the outward appearance of Berlin that attracted me. Instead it was the feeling. The motivation of the city. The innovation of the city. The desire to make a new future. The dedication to changing. The city is blooming with youth, liveliness, and hope for a new future. Oh, and it’s filled with history. Actually it’s teeming with multiple pasts. The East and the West are just one example. And the stitching up of differences is the perfect soil for new ideas.

Please humour me by reading a quote From Michela Minen “Berlin is by calling a laboratory city, a place of lively debate and advanced experimentation, of the most consequential and lucid architectural contemporarily, and at the same time a city of “petrified history”, loaded with torn and tearing memories. An unsettling global, post-modern, metropolis, dynamic, euphoric, fragmented and contradictory.

Rome has conquered the world. This city knows it has left its mark on history and will always be remembered. In Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Eat, Pray, Love she writes about wishing she could be like Rome when she is an old lady. How she wishes that someday she could sit tall and confident, letting the rest of the world worry and scramble around her. How she wishes she could someday step out of this race to the top knowing that she has reached her full potential. Rome as stepped out of the race. It lets the rest of the world carrying on saying, “Do whatever you want, but no matter what happens I will still be Rome.” But Berlin is in the mist of this race and making exceptional progress.

So I love Berlin because it is growing and changing. Berlin is pockets of life. Rome as a whole is generally the same when compared to the neighborhoods of Berlin. Oh, let me tell you that each is so different. Still the city doesn’t seem to be whole, but instead little areas stitched together. And I could go on and on, but in short you will just have to go there yourself. And experience this unique city yourself. You can bet that someday I am going back. And with how quickly change is happening I am sure that it is going to be a much different experience ten years from now.

When Marie and I stepped off the train in the afternoon, we found ourselves confronted with this:

In Rome there are only two metro lines: Line A and Line B. The city is trying to build a Line C, but building anything is difficult in Rome, especially something underground, because ancient artifacts and always being found. And then construction is stopped for months on end until the signal is given that the construction can continue. I think it will be a miracle if this Line C is finished within the next ten years. So, needless to say I had never seen a metro system like this in my entire life. And here Marie and I were plopped in the middle of the city trying to found out where our hostle was. We had a couple adventures. Got off at some wrong stops and asked lots of questions. But within an hour and a half we found ourselves in a sweet and tiny hostle room. (More pictures of the crazy hostle colors and spaceship looking downstairs coming soon.)

Marie asked me what I wanted to see first and probably to her dismay I exclaimed, “the German History Museum.” She kindly took me there. The Museum was amazing. I could have and would have stayed there for hours reading about German history from the beginning of time, but after two hours my brain was not capable of holding anymore information. But this Museum, and Berlin itself, gave me a desire to know more about this unique history of this country. Unique is the best word I can use to describe it. This summer I had a lot of reading to do. Below are some pics of real shields (I don’t think I had seen one before and they were a big different than I had thought) and an incredibly detailed book complete with pictures.

We left the museum with aching brains and grumbling tummies. We walked around the city trying to find a place to eat. Eventually we found a darling cafe in the middle of a very young part of the city. The café was so fun and full of character. Check out the cream piano which was used at a table and the fun patchwork of pictures on the wall.

The best part about the cafe? It had prices that rocked my socks! Check this out. These are seriously small meals. Pretty rad. Someone needs to tell Rome about these city prices. But, Rome conquered the world so it probably won't care anyway and keep its prices just a stinkin high as ever.

And the ally that our cafe was located in was just a gem. The walls were filled with graffiti. Actually stunning graffiti. But instead of making you roll your eyes and want to clean it up, it stuck out like modern art. It was fun with bright colors and passion. And when it came to this ally I saw the beauty and fun in something I would have previously not cared about. So I had to take pics.

Bryce, this is cool isn't it?

That was my first day in Berlin. Marie and I adjusted to the city, learned how the transportation system worked, and just loved being together in a city neither of us knew my heart. More coming soon.

Pics From Viterbo

On Saturday Stine, Haily and I decided to travel to the nearby town of Viterbo. By Italian standards the town has nothing particulary special to offer. Of course there were churches, and beautiful fountians, and sweet piazzas. I found the most beautiful fountain, so I had to take a pic. Here are some of the shots from our day.

This was my favorite fountain in the city. Get a closer look in the pic below:

Aren't the lions beautiful? And the fountain isn't rushing with water but instead it looks calm and in control. I just love this fountain because it is so different from all of the other large and gaudy fountains, but it still has a strength. It has a different style than most tourist fountains, but it still stands proud. I just love the water spouts as well. There is just so much detail and the dark color of the fountain is quite compelling. This little guy has to be in my top ten favorites.

This picture is the beginning of a story. Our Norwegian friend Stine, who has traveled the world (literally), loves to mock my American friend Hailey and I as we are constantly posing for pictures and cooing over the fountains. The beautiful and old buildings in Europe are astounding to two young American girls, but to Stine these things are old hat. So you can imagine on a cold day how she wouldn't want to take a picture in front of a fountian that looks just like the others.

And this closer shot shows her face silently wishing she could make my camera disappear. Until Hailey decided to lighten the mood (and face) by giving her a suprise.


Thank you for putting up with the Americans Stine. You have done too many Rick Steve tours and pics in front of churches and fountains.

This is Why I Love Living in Italy

Yesterday, my American friend Hailey came to church with me. She was a great trooper going to a strange church in Italian for three hours. After church my dear friend Yefrey (he is honestly the nicest person ever) invited us to his house for lunch.

We had a splendid time talking while eating the delicious food his Mother and Aunt made us...


playing on Yefrey’s accordion and authentic African drum (which as super rad. Bryce, Tanner, and Wesley: you could still see the cow hair on the side of the drum. And it made the coolest sound ever! I was really tempted to borrow it and make some money by banging on it near the metro stops...)


and then we listening to his Aunt and Mother sing...


And let me tell you, they were SO good. It was a diverse and fun filled day, but the best part was still to come. On the spur of the moment Yefrey said that he wanted to take us to Bracciano, a lake just outside Rome surrounded by three beautiful and quaint towns. So we got in the car and drove there. How lucky am I to be living so close to these beautiful places?!? After just thirty minutes of driving, we found ourselves next to a church castle, in a charming, classic Italian town next to the cleanest lake I had ever seen.

Yefrey and I next the lake

Hailey and I pinching ourselves just trying to believe we are really here

Hailey and I next to the darling, yet aggressive swans. Notice the lights in the background from one of the other towns around the lake. It was beautiful to see the lights of the two other towns glistening in the distance.

A small yet sweet piazza we thought was cute

Hailey and I in Bracciano's main Piazza with the castle in the background.

I feel so blessed to have these beautiful places right at my fingertips. I have to opportunity to go to Napoli this weekend as a day trip. I can spontaneously decide to tour the coliseum again, and I have been able to stand in history. I am blessed to be here.

I am now in love wth Bracciano. It is my second favorite city in Italy so far. If you are coming to Rome, it is a must see side trip. You can bet that this summer I will be spending a whole saturday in the lake and meandering around the town.