art | Krauss-ing The World

Budva

Posted on November 28 by krauss-ingtheworld

The Montenegro coastline is jaw dropping with mountains and islands in the blue Adriatic. Passing all the scenic towns and the fancy resort island of Sveti Stefan, I see the town of Budva on the coastline.

It is a very nice city with brick streets and lots of palm trees and greenery. I wander past the Roman and Greek necropolis, which has become a playground for a local family. I enter the old city walls only to be pleasantly surprised. Vines changing red with autumn hang artistically across the old buildings. Roman and early Christian ruins are scattered throughout like art decor.

This old city lays flat along the coastline, but still has all the charm of the alleys; it feels more cozy than claustrophobic with many tourist shops, bars, and restaurants. A citadel and church lie at one end, while a tunnel leads out to the beach at the other. The view is stunning as golden hour sets in and sets the fortress aglow.

I see the rocky coastline has a trail cutting through, and continue on to see the highly folded rocks. These crumbling ridges have nets and wire to prevent rockfall, though warning signs mark the path. The folds are mesmerizing and lead to little divets or caves along the beach. I cross one cave that is quickly filling with water to find a beach tucked away. A half dozen kittens live in the holes beneath a bar and come out to beg. They crawl all over me as I take pictures, and it seems someone has left a plate of food for them. Unable to proceed further, I turn back to town.

I walk back along the coastline to watch the sunset from a pier jutting out towards the end of town. These beaches are not as clear as the others, probably due to pollution from all the boats. I can still see the sea floor, littered with trash. A man casually kicks a plastic bottle cap into the sea.

I get a gyro—finally at a familiar price—and I visit a museum that’s still open. Wandering around the old town is nice at night, but I get hopelessly lost. The museum contains the artifacts from the Roman & Greek mortuary and lots of other tools and pottery from the period. Some pots are just beautiful, while others seem rather worn with time. There is gold jewelry with proto-Greek designs featuring nature patterns.

On my last sunny day I enjoy the sunrise on my balcony before taking off towards the mountains of Kotor.

Vienna

Posted on May 10, 2023 by krauss-ingtheworld

It is strange to visit the surrounds and city of Vienna. I can just imagine my great-grandfather, who left this land for the U.S., rolling in his grave. I hear his voice omnisciently saying, “I sacrificed so much to leave here, why would you come back?” Still, it is interesting to go to the same city he likely would have passed through before leaving the Austro-Hungarian empire.

It was really cool seeing the classic Viennese style buildings that originated this iconic model found in cities around the world. The columns, detailed buildings and styles are comfortingly familiar.

The tiles on the main church are noteworthy. The grand palace of the Hapsburgs is a monument to the power of the dynasty, and it sure manages to impress long after. There are lots of gold statues, gilded and tiled roofs, and clock towers around the city.

I find a unique textile factory converted into an art area, reminding me of the work of Güell in Barcelona.

It is fun walking around all night with lights illuminating the same buildings, trying Viennese sausage and hot wine. There is even a party in the metro underground.

It is fun exploring the city with some fellow volunteers after the Jackson Wild summit, and overall I am pleased with my visit to this iconic European capital.

Giza

Posted on April 6, 2023 by krauss-ingtheworld

Waking up in the morning light I softly blink awake to see the pyramids of Giza for the very first time. It feels like a dream, as I scan from one monument to the next, seeing the patch of remaining limestone on top of the closest one.

The great sphinx lies below, seemingly small in comparison.

I just can’t believe my eyes, though I saw the dark outlines of the pyramids as I arrived earlier that morning through a chaotic ordeal. To see such icons has been a dream of mine for so long, and now it’s finally realized as I come out of a dream-like state.

One of the many tombs that are off limits

After some logistics planning and switching hotels, breakfasting on falafel while looking out at the last remaining ancient wonders of the world, we go up to visit them.

Up close you can really see all the ridges along the edges, uneven surfaces caused by erosion and destruction over the years. Still, it amazing to climb up the steps that have weathered the tests of time to go inside an excavated tunnel to the centeral tomb. It is so cool being inside the pyramid, feeling the stones that were lugged along the river from so far away to get here.

It is a long, hot and sweaty climb through narrow tunnels, but the ascent is at the same angle as the same as the pyramid, giving a sense of the incline.

The smell is musty, but maybe that’s because of all the sweaty tourists going up.

The inner chamber is empty and quiet. There is a stillness in the air as I creep over to the empty tomb. It is cool to see the chamber at the holiest site for the ancient Egyptians. However, I feel a sadness linger at how much the tomb has been disturbed and its inhabitant not laid to rest as intended.

Climbing down the huge steps, we wander to the other side of the pyramid to see the ancient tombs. Buried like cellars in the ground, they have been remarkably restored with color. The sculptures carved into the limestone are immaculate. I love seeing the hieroglyphs in-person in the place they are meant to be. A security officer explains the meaning, mostly names, but some tell stories of the occupants and are mapped out on the wall.

The tiny chamber is intimate and it is great getting close up with this daughter/wife of a king. But the larger chamber offers even more statues and a false door. The doors helps the spirit to identify the resting place and visit every day.

We go to another vantage point and take loads of photos of the other two pyramids, one which has the limestone cap still remaining and another smaller one in the background.

Steps to Immortality

The last place we visit is the preparation chambers for mummification and the sphinx. This is the monument I was most looking forward to; I admire the ear, lower holes beneath, and eye features that are beautiful to behold in person. From another angle it is just a limestone rock, but the striations on the headpiece give it away. The lower body has been reconstructed, but looks as it is supposed to from models. It is a really emotional moment for us and we just take in the iconic face of the sphinx.

We have a small lunch of mixed meats and spend the afternoon shopping. It is cool to learn how papyrus is made and see some beautiful art and clothes, but is mostly a waste.

The light show at night is an opportunity to see the sphinx and pyramids illuminated in different colors. It brings out the features better in some ways and is really awe inspiring. There is a kitschy storyline, but some more hieroglyph stories are told which is nice. The area at the foot of the sphinx feels mystical at night, charged with a certain energy.

Milan

Posted on February 4, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

I had heard enough rumors to dislike all the high rises and uptight business culture of Milan. However, the big city buildings soon fade as I pass the Porta Nuova into the historic center.
Buildings now feature 18th and 19th century decorative facades and line the streets alongside modern buildings. They blend seamlessly together old and new.

I find the main theater and walk through the impressive gallery to the Duomo, the main cathedral. It is sharper and and well decorated with hundreds of different statues. It is a gothic marvel and the 2nd largest cathedral in the world.

I meander up the street to the castle, which from a distance looks like another ancient cathedral, but up close is impressive in its own right. There are many central courtyards and cloisters beautifully decorated with the Sforzesco family insignia, the Solaris, which covers many buildings throughout the city. It is gorgeous, and I love walking through the castle as if it is a park.

Solaris

Sforzesco castle

There is also a park behind it marked with a big arch.

I walk to the neighborhood next door, the Bern quarter, and find another beautiful palace. This neighborhood belongs to the ancient inhabitants of Milan, dating back to Roman times when it was a field. It then became the Bohemian neighborhood of many artists and poets. Now, it is a pedestrian-friendly, car-free zone, giving it a different vibe than the rest of the city.

I walk down the street through Milan’s chinatown, which looks like typical palaces decorated with Chinese lanterns.

I continue on to my vaccine appointment; the Lombardi government offers vaccines hassle-free to foreigners. I receive my booster in 45 minutes and am off to see the rest of the center.

There is a gorgeous 11th century church and courtyard with columns. I find another, from the 5th century, octagonal and filled with mosaics and frescoes in the back room dating back to its founding. Check out these altars and artifacts originating during the point when Christianity transitioned from a minority religion to obligatory.

The city looks beautiful lit up with night, and I wander through the main boutique shopping streets sponsored by the biggest names in fashion. I decide I like the seamless fusion of old and new, trendy and history, and count myself grateful for this surprise trip to Milan.

Sorrento

Posted on January 31, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

Sorrento has a lot of festivities, Christmas lights cued to Italian songs around the center, boutique shopping, and some interesting historic buildings. My favorite are the cloisters, which have an art gallery.

I watch the sunset from the nearby balcony; Sorrento has beautiful cliffs jutting out from the city and is surrounded by mountains and sea. I stay in a hotel, to my surprise, and for cheaper than any hostel.

San Francisco Cloister

I eat cookies of amarena mixed with chocolate for breakfast. I tell the cashier I’m American and not Italian and she is taken aback in surprise. Maybe because I come in every morning speaking Italian.

I have the best pizza for dinner.

The perfectly smoked crust is not too chewy, just soft enough. It’s almost liquid at the thinner parts, but nice and thick at the ends. The cheese is high quality and tender. The sauce is subtle, not too sweet or pasta-like. The secret is a little olive oil, which brings out the crust. I haven’t seen it used yet though it’s traditional.

I come down at just the right time as the chef comes and helps me ring up the check. As she struggles with the register, I ask about the oven, which is electric with a brick base, and the unusual shape, which is a bit difficult to make circular because the dough is so soft.

She has a background as a chemist, married an Italian, and so she know a lot about how fiber absorbs water, and continued fermentation of dough that keeps sucking out water. Some pizzas that are made while still fermenting will dehydrate you, which some pizza places do on purpose so you buy their drinks. I think the last pizza I have, Da Michele, the “best in Naples”, does this because I drank over a liter of water after and was still thirsty! It was still good, like what I would expect from a good Italian pizza place in New York, with a classic savory taste.

You want the dough to sit for a while before kneading it, and you don’t want to over-knead it. It is important to add water bit by bit, not all at once, and you have to factor in temperature, humidity, changes for different kinds of flour (such as the old antiche style grinded from the mill). You want more salt or less depending on these conditions, and it is different in Naples because of the water. There are certain UNESCO heritage standards. The recipe is always the same, but it’s just how you make it, the technique, that makes a great pizza! She continues on divulging more secrets, but I don’t have the capacity to absorb it all.

My final night I am treated to an array of samples typical of Sorrento. Home of limoncello, I try some mixed with Buffalo milk that is very sweet. The rum soaked baba cakes in limoncello are like taking a shot with each bite.

A chocolate shop offers cow milk limoncello that is perfect. This is followed by a chocolate covered candied lemon peel, which reminds me of Passover candies, then a chocolate filled biscuit, which I bring home for my family to try. I try a proper limoncello, which was strong but not too bitter, still sweet with lemon juice. There is a lemon candy which you crush it and limoncello spills out over your tongue.

The town villa is celebrating the last night of a festival, displaying artwork from local photographers in the beautiful caves and natural beauty of Sorrento. There are miniature nativity sculptures of terracotta and clay, and lots of old music boxes (Carillons). It is a classy and beautiful way to end my stay on the amalfi coast.

Pompei

Posted on January 26, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

I thought Rome was amazing with its sporadic ruins woven throughout the city. Now imagine my delight to see a whole village!
Though heavily restored, the ash from Vesuvius, towering in the background, preserved much of the infrastructure as well as many amazing frescoes and features. I gasp and catch myself saying “wow” out of awe so many times exploring the frescoes in the houses of the wealthy merchants, featuring mosaic tiles decorating the floors.

The village is huge, accommodating 20,000 people, and I get lost many times. I start out at the amphitheater, find myself in the main theater, and then finally I stumble upon the forum to start the Rick Steves Audio tour (not a sponsor). It is awesome seeing the temple remnants and many bronze statues as well.

The columns still stand, the brick structure remaining with a marble veneer rubbed away (not all columns used expensive marble)

Some casts of bodies found of the 2000 who died during the eruption are on display. It is a bit morbid, but the houses are more of a celebration of their lives.

The deep grooves are from chariot wheels eroding the road over the centuries

Many roads have bumps to cross the street easier when wet. The brothel is even open for a tour, displaying mosaics of different sex positions, perhaps suggestions for different service offerings. Warning: Not safe for work!

Thermopolium is an eating area where dishes would be kept in the holes

The house of mystery is awesome.

So is the last house I tour, the House of Cryptoporticus. I go up two stories through an underground crypt with mosaics of the Iliad. Having Greek art was seen as classy, and most of the frescoes I see around the patios display Greek themes.

***

Nearby Herculaneum, preserved in mud, features what feels like more of the same buildings. Because of the different mechanism of preservation, wood and other organic material is preserved, which can be seen as door and bed frames.

There are some beautiful mosaics, preserved bath houses, and giant villas; Herculaneum was much wealthier than middle-class Pompei. I enjoy being able to visit the whole thing in 4 hours, including a museum with a poorly timed boat passing by Vesuvius at the time of eruption. The hull is intact, and many beautiful jewelry pieces were found aboard, including these snake bangles. I’m impressed by the details on all the jewelry as well.

Vatican

Posted on December 9, 2021 by krauss-ingtheworld

Not really a city, and more of a museum, The Vatican nevertheless leaves an impression. Besides it’s historical and religious significance, the home of the pope is also an independent nation, making it my 25th country visited.
The tight security (with cute outfits; Swiss mercenaries are hired to guard the Vatican) make for a lot of people yelling at visitors what and what not to do. Though I suppose that is a crude summary of the history of Christianity.

One of the many interesting buildings along the way

I walk towards Vatican City past rows of beautiful villas, crossing through the Borghese park and the vast rows of Cyprus trees.

Upon arriving at the large outer walls, I notice it is more like a fortress than anything else. I walk in early in anticipation of the long lines and enter right at my time slot into the museum.

I did not anticipate the Vatican collections to be so extensive, and I am pleasantly surprised at the Egyptian, Greek & Etruscan collections. Obviously the Roman art is quite substantial. I marvel for a moment at appreciating Roman art in Rome, then realize I am not technically in Rome anymore.
There are lots of ancient sarcophagi, glyphs, and even a couple mummies. The vast Etruscan bronze and Greek pottery and artifacts make me feel like I’m back at the Louvre, except better because they have detailed descriptions of the scenes on the pottery—in English! There are even some Assyrian artifacts.

I am much more interested in this work than the Roman art, but I gain an appreciation for some novel techniques, like body contortions at different angles, pain and anguish, and all the chiseled butts.

The Nile. Inspiration for Michelangelo’s depiction of G-d in the Sistine Chapel

There are some renaissance classics, and Raffael really has them beat with his 3D- like pictures that seem as if they’re crawling out of the ceiling toward me.

I am very impressed by his apartments, and the beautiful ceiling work of the grand halls leading up to it. The Flemish tapestry work is unbelievable, with paintings turned to fabric with remarkable realism.

The Sistine chapel is supposedly the greatest work of art of all time. I am immediately overwhelmed by the mess and tangle of bodies. Until I spot the Adam and God, which I recognize from the statue of Apollo for the face, twisted torso for the body (see below), and God which comes from Nile statue in the octagon courtyard pictured above. I appreciate the amount of effort that went into it, but mostly I feel as if I can’t really admire it properly.

Basis for Michelangelo’s Adam in the sistene chapel. This contortion in roman statues was rare

I leave into the courtyard, and it immediately starts to rain. I meander through the rest of the museum, seeing papal garments and an extensive Oceania collection. Like a cabinet of curiosities, artifacts are unlabeled. While meant to be a celebration of all the different cultures missionaries have touched, it really just demonstrates the wide reach and colonialist nature of Catholicism, how the religion empowered and caused many colonist attitudes and genocides of native peoples. Happy thanksgiving indeed.

The basilica is impressive. The largest church at one point, it is really massive inside. While not as gilded or frescoed as the one in Venice, there is still a lot of gold. Gold ribbons wrap the roof, and giant statues give me vertigo as I look up. The altar is really beautiful, and the bronze from the pantheon built the ark. Designed by Michelangelo, the roof is nice, with a cute little G-d hidden at the top.

At 5pm the organ pipes blast and prayer begins. It’s cool to see the church as it is intended for, and not just a tourist attraction. The sunset is beautiful over the piazza as the rain slows to a drizzle, and I imagine the pope stepping out on the balcony—I’ll have to come back on a Wednesday to see him!

Siena

Posted on December 6, 2021 by krauss-ingtheworld

I have a sense of deja vu coming here, as if I’d been here in a dream.

At some moments, this is the quintessential idea I have of Italy. Delicious sliced pizza, lasagna, and humble villages along hillsides.

I swear I had been here before in some visions I had of Italy

In other ways, I am taken aback and surprised. There are so many details in this city, with dozens of different crests (one for each district of the city!) and lots of arched passageways cutting up and down the hillside. The large central plaza is spectacular, shaped like a semicircle around a large tower.

The church is also a wonderful surprise. With Ligurian black and white stripes, it’s even better inside with frescoes out the wazoo. I truly appreciate Rafael’s Piccolomini library, with frescoes almost transporting you to another world through the porticos. The ceiling is just mesmerizing. I could spend a lifetime looking at it and still see new details each time.

Piccolomini Library
Frescoes by Rafael
The symbol of Siena is Romulus & Remus, founders of Rome, with the she-wolf. Do you recognize some of the other cities?

The view of the church museum is amazing! There are lots of catholic artifacts, old tomes and some jewels, maybe even the holy grail? There is a long wait, so I take the time to admire the collection, but eventually we make it out for a breathtaking view of the Siena town and surrounding valley.

There is another great view from the San Domenica Church, which has a fountain underneath it. The view continues higher up on the fortress just outside the city, built by the medicis to keep watch as they took over Siena. We even catch a bit of the sunset!

Fun Around Florence

Posted on November 24, 2021 by krauss-ingtheworld

The Tuscan hills and villas shine brightly from the top of Boboli gardens, the Medici family’s prized park and UNESCO world heritage site. It offers a beautiful view of the city, in addition to some nice sculptures and fountains. There are also grottos, art formed from the caves, featuring religious imagery. The Medici even domesticated their own lemon varieties. The Pitti Palace below has a typical open patio, and it’s easy to see how some of the gardens in France drew inspiration from the Medici.

Medici citrus gardens
Palazzo Pitti
Grotto

I finally managed to explore inside the Duomo; while not as spectacular as the exterior, I’m impressed with the decor on the dome, featuring beautiful frescoes and some nice tiling.

In further tribute to the Medici, I explore their palace as the entry is not too expensive. The breathtaking gilded rooms feature some nice mythology-themed frescoes on the walls, a lot of doodle-like art that I really like, and lots of beautiful birds and animals make appearances. It is really humbling walking the same rooms as Dante on Dia de los Muertos. With so many statues it is as if his spirit is with us.

Would the Medici be upset to know a peasant walks freely around their palace?
One of the many secret passageways behind the paintings
Birth of Venus
The magnificent ceilings, and some works by Michelangelo
Dante’s office
A Last Supper

I go shopping at the Cascine market in the park, where I get local produce and cheese and a new leather belt and wallet.

I also take the chance to visit the local Farmacia, lined with flowers decorating the entrance for their 800th anniversary. My neighbor’s son’s girlfriend who works there gives me a tour of the old medicinal tonics and herbal remedies, mints for bad breath and chocolates. I try some amazing rose scents, light and sweet. I even smell like Catherine di Medici, a subtle citrus.

I also see inside the iconic Santa Maria novella church and other main churches open on Sunday. I am more impressed by an 11th century church up the hill on Piazza Michelangelo. It is unlike any other church, very dimly lit with a second level that you have to climb up. There is a lot of strange artwork too.

Over the weekend, our professor organizes a hike up the karst mountain outside Prato, a nearby town. I reunite with classmates, meet my professor in person, and see lots of beautiful wetland birds and an unexpected but familiar face, the invasive nutria. Seeing the great blue herons and egrets are like visiting with familiar friends, but of course they are different species than back home.

Hiking up the hill is a challenge, with lots of jagged rocks that are tricky on the feet. Beautiful autumn colors coat the forest. There are some nice hilltops, having an almost alpine appearance at the top despite being only 800 meters high! It is still exhausting to climb, and the wind is very cold; I even get some wind burn. But it is a very beautiful hike along the ridge top to see some cows and feral horses. I can even see the duomo from here, massive as it is.

We take a pitstop for lunch in an abandoned ghost village of Valbona. It is of roman origin, with the town being named for the owner of the villa, perhaps a war general, with villa + ano resulting in the village name. It is hard for people to live far away from the cities, so villages like these are abandoned. It is eery, but there is a beautiful autumn vistas of the hills.

Murano & Burano (Venice 2/2)

Posted on November 22, 2021 by krauss-ingtheworld

Much of Venice can only be seen by water. I embark, past the confusion, long waits, and crowds, to get aboard a boat to Murano. This island is the refuge of glassmakers, whose furnaces were banned from Venice as a fire-hazard. I see the modern smiths using age-old techniques, including putting metal shavings in the glass, and millefiore—tiny flowers in the glass details. Anything it seems can be made from glass, and some of the animals and jewelry are spectacular.

Equally colorful are the houses of the nearby island of Burano. I wait an hour in line at the docks to get to Burano, convinced only to stay after investing in a €20 boat pass. I slip through to the front of the unregulated line after not making it on the next boat, as it is frustrating watching boat employees let people to the front after being bribed.

It’s hard to say if it is worth the wait, but the boat ride is cold if not beautiful across the water. The town is so pretty in the distance, painted with vibrant colors everywhich way.

Island of Burano. Many leaning towers of Venice, like this campanile on Burano, are caused by building on an unstable foundation. Venice is sinking at a rate of 2 millimeters per year, but with rising sea levels due to climate change, the islands are predicted to be underwater by the end of the century.

Along the canals, it is almost like a rainbow version of Venice. The cobbled paths are also a favorite to explore, and it seems every house in the neighborhood has a distinctive color palette.

I enjoy the natural green spaces, absent in Venice, and take loads of pictures along the idyllic setting.

*Casa Bepi*, one of the first painted houses

I return for sunset to Murano, passing some interesting cathedrals and further admiring the glasswork.

I walk through Venice at night, absorbing the ambiance along the quiet canals.

I make use of the boat pass the next morning with a cruise along the main canal. I listen to a guided podcast as I enjoy the boat ride from the back. I get exclusive access to palaces not visible from the land and see Venice from the perspective of the merchants entering the city since medieval times.

Cold from the boat, I treat myself to a mulled wine and walk through San Marco Plaza one last time, soaking in the details and following another podcast tour. I meander through across the Rialto bridge to the fish market and try a mango cannoli—amazing!

San Marco Plazza
Fish Market
The head of the lion is over 2000 years old

I continue to Dosodorro island, which I only explored briefly, crossing the Academie bridge to the southernmost point of the island with a view of San Marco plaza. I enjoy these smaller canals and bridges and take my time making my way up to the bus stop. I get lost plenty coming up at many dead-ends along the canal, but they are always beautiful. The city is like a real-life maze, with some buildings acting as landmarks, but similar ones often throw me off.

I enjoy the fluffiest tiramisu mousse-styled gelato, and finish exploring the neighborhood with a good ol’ sliced pizza. I leave the quaint canals for the bustling bus station island as the dream-like city fades behind me.