I'm sure at least a few of you must have noticed the large gap that exists between this post and the previous post. The length of this gap should be further emphasized due to the fact that I do have access to the internet at home. Thus, one who frequently reads my blog should be compelled to arrive at one of two conclusions:

1. I have dropped the ball and totally abandoned my blog.
2. I have gone traveling and will return with the mother of all blog entries!

The fact that you are actually reading this should give you a pretty good idea which conclusion to arrive at.

Yes.

The week of March 3rd to March 9th, my class and I went on our trip to visit sites in Southern Italy. We agreed to meet at the Piazza Trilussa at 7:00 AM on Saturday. Gordon left at 6:30. Joaquin and I ended up leaving at 6:50. I have to mention at this point that the mother of all cramps was sinking its claws of death in my left thigh. This made everything I did take at least twice as long. Stupid me playing stupid soccer. This added an extra layer of suspense as Joaquin slowly walked to allow me to keep up as I attempted to emulate the walk of the likes of Long John Silver and Verbal Kint. Luckily, we only arrived a few minutes late. Thankfully my leg was at 100% by the time we got to Matera, the city where you want your legs at 110%.

Stop 1: Pompeii-
Pompeii was a town located south of Rome. It had been an Oscan port town with Greek and Phoenician influences but was later conquered by Rome. It was completely destroyed when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD covering the entire region in ash. This basically froze the entire city in a state that was almost completely uninterrupted until the 18th century, when archaeologists began to excavate it. Pompeii's most significant contribution to our knowledge of the Roman Civilization is its detailed picture of habitats used during this period. In Rome, the ruins that remain are mostly monumental colossal structures. Houses weren't built with the same longevity in mind. We visited a number of different houses including the Villa of the Mysteries.
We also visited the amphitheater, one of the baths (right) and a few other places as well which was all interesting, but honestly speaking, Pompeii was the least interesting of the entire trip. So I'm going to stop talking about it.

Stop 2: Paestum-
Paestum was one of the many Greek towns formed in the Archaic Period of Ancient Greece (roughly 7th Century BCE). There are three temples on the archaeological site and they are absolutely incredible. I really don't know how to emphasize how impressed I was by them. People talk a lot about proportions, ratios, and columnar orders, but all I can say is that the Greeks got it right with the temple to Apollo (right). I never thought I could be so impressed by a Greek temple, especially when there is so much incredible Roman Classical architecture here in Rome. After this visit, I may be compelled to side with the Greek Classical in the Rome vs. Greek debate that once raged in Italy during the Enlightenment Period.

Stop 3: Certosa di San Lorenzo-
So this building was a monastery originally for the Carthusian monks of this region. Apparently these monks were often descendants from wealthy families but had no claim to the inheritance because they were second or third sons. Thus, the building was characterized not for its austerity or humility but more for its lavish decorations and ornamentation. This photo was taken from the stair case in the back near the courtyard where the monks would meditate and pace.

Stop 4: Castel del Monte-
Castel del Monte is called a castel only because it is big and made of stone. I actually has no military or strategic importance at least as far as most historians or archaeologists can tell. It wasn't a mansion or house because there is no kitchen or food spaces. Thus, most people simply call it a 'think tank.' The man responsible for it, Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor 1194-1250, was also known as an intellectual. Although the crusades were raging during this period, he often invited Arab intellectuals to Italy to learn and discuss matters of culture, mathematics, science, philosophy, etc. This building can easily be seen as one that was heavily influenced by Middle-Eastern ideas and aesthetics. The plan has an octagonal logic, there are pointed arches and the proportions are heavily geometric. The attention paid to mathematic harmony is different from that of what was used during the Renaissance which more classical in nature. Apparently there was quite a collection of artwork that had been stolen or pillaged once it fell out of use. Its use, however, is still elusive. Think tank still seems like a half-baked theory to me. Although the spaces were really impressive, the place did feel kind of like a tourist trap. I mean, there was nothing in the entire place!

Stop 5: Trani-
This was another incredible town that we visited. Trani is one of the many port towns that lines the Adriatic Coast along the calf of the Italian "boot." It once was a major port where crusaders would embark on their long journey to the Holy Land. In fact, one of the churches has a special arcade where knights on horseback could ride in, receive their blessings from a priest and ride right down to the port where they could board a vessel. The cathedral was also quite impressive because it certainly displayed a far more Norman style of architecture which reflected the culture of the ruling monarch when it was built, 1143 CE. Overall, this was one of the coolest places we visited during the trip.