Bell’Italia

Students can learn about Renaissance Europe in a World History class by reading their textbook, or they can learn about Renaissance Europe by walking the same cobblestone streets trekked by the Medicis, gazing at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo Buonarroti, and watching glass-blowing and leather-making demonstrations using centuries-old techniques.

Choosing the latter, Thomas Lammey, McKenzie Bell and Chattin Cato accompanied Pea Ridge Intermediate School Principal Sarah Stokes and her niece, Alyssa, to Italy over Spring Break.

“We landed in Milan with snow covering the ground and boarded our bus to Lido di Jesolo on the Adriatic Sea,” Stokes said. “The evening was cold, but the atmosphere was warm, and we were excited for each new adventure.

The first would be a real Italian meal. Dinner in Italy begins with il primo, a first course of pasta, and on our first night, we enjoyed pasta with a light pesto sauce followed by a fresh salad and a delicious chicken dish cooked with mushrooms and a white sauce.”

The next day dawned sunny and bright. The group took a water taxi to Venice and commenced the day by watching a fascinating glass-blowing demonstration. In a matter of just a few minutes while the group watched, the artisan created a lovely vase and a horse standing on its hind legs. After a walking tour with a local guide, the group decided to take a gondola ride. The hush of the city along its back canals and the gentle lapping of the water against the sides of the gondola were interrupted only by the sound of the gondolier’s cellphone ringing, a reminder that it was indeed still the 21st century.

By the expert maneuvering of the gondolier, the group peacefully glided through the back canals and out into the Grand Canal in view of the famed Rialto Bridge lined with shops. A first taste of creamy, delicious gelato followed by some free time to walk the alleys around San Marcos piazza rounded out the day in Venice.

“By 6 a.m. the next morning, we had already taken the two-minute walk from our hotel to the beach and were rewarded by a vibrant, red sunrise over the Adriatic Sea.

We walked out onto the pier to listen to the morning waves and picked up seashells along the beach,” Stokes said. “Sometimes the best souvenirs are free.”

Back on the bus, then the rain started coming down. The group pulled into Florence that afternoon, the birthplace of the Renaissance and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A demonstration by Leonardo Leatherworks was first on the agenda. Leaving the leather factory, the rain filled the crevices between the cobblestones as colorful umbrellas punctuated the Piazza della Signoria. Banking one side of this square is the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall and fortress-palace during the reign of the Medicis.

A copy of Michelangelo’s David stands sentinel in front of the building, and an equestrian statue of Cosimo de Medici flanks the side.

“The rain sloshed under our feet, but couldn’t diminish the enormity or beauty of the Duomo and its red, green, and white marble exterior,” Stokes said.

“To escape the rain, we ducked into Santa Croce and lookedat the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Dante, and other great minds. Soon the damp coldness of the stone walls of this church seeped into our bones, and we escaped the cold by venturing out into the rain again,” she said. “ We passed the time until dinner by shopping.

“The sun graced us with its presence for the rest of our trip, and the next day, our free day in Florence, we made haste while it shone. Our day was consumed with the Academia Museum to see the original David; the Orsonmichele Church, circa 700 A.D.

where the original merchant guilds posted their emblems and Donatelli first displayed his statuary;

the Ponte Vecchio, a medieval stone-arched bridge lined with shops; Pitti Palace, home of the Medici family; shopping at the San Lorenzo street market; and of course, gelato from the oldest gelateria in the city.”

On the way to Rome, the group stopped at Assisi, a medieval hilltop town.

The home of St. Francis and location of the basilica bearing his name and his remains since 1226 A.D., Assisi made the news a few years ago when an earthquake damaged the basilica. The group toured the beautifully restored basilica and also made the 20-minute walk up the steep hill to the castle at the top. Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the castle ruins proved to be a fun way to spend an hour in self-guided exploration - even if the hike uphill was daunting. Curving around the hillsides as the group walked along the ancient streets of this town, they were once again struck with the feeling they had left the 21st century far behind.

Rome, a city of four million, is a juxtaposition of contemporary thinking clothed in an archaic past.

“We took a ‘Rome by Night’ tour on our first evening and experienced a completely different vibe than what we would see by day. Lights illuminated the darkness and the antiquity of the Castella de Sant’Angelo, the Coliseum, St. Peter’s, and the old city walls. We walked to TreviFountain and threw in coins to ensure our return to the Eternal City. And we ate gelato.”

On Saturday, the group joined the crowds that pressed into Vatican City.

“Excitement over the newly appointed Papa Francesco coupled with the fact that this was the weekend of Palm Sunday resulted in the throngs that entered the city. Not expecting to see the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica because of the papal conclave, we were excited that the pope had been appointed so quickly, and we were afforded the opportunity to view these Vatican treasures. Michelangelo’s artistic genius is apparent in the gorgeous frescoes that are images of biblical narratives. The background of The Last Judgment on the altar wall was painted using precious lapis lazuli.

“The immensity and majesty of St. Peter’s defies explanation. That afternoon, we walked with Caesar through the Coliseum and the ruins of the Roman Forum. We saw the place where Marc Antony held up Caesar’s body proclaiming, “Et tu, Brutus?” and we saw Caesar’s grave.

Archaeology is a continual process in Rome, and art, architecture, and archaeology are infused throughout the Italian landscape.”

On Palm Sunday, the group took the subway to the Capuchin Monastery to see Gutenberg-era books, an ancient pharmaceutical display, and a crypt in which the bones of the monks are arranged in artistic displays on the walls of each room, lest any of us forget that we are not immortal. Back on the subway, they headed for San Giovanni Laterano and quietly entered during Palm Sunday mass. We saw the Holy Steps where, by tradition but not written documentation, Jesus ascended to meet Pontius Pilate. From there, the group walked to San Clemente, a little-known and highly excavated church with layers of archaeological ruins underground dating from the 1st century A.D. Amazingly, there are still visiblefrescoes, tombs, columns, and an altar, as well as an underground spring.

“Pizza had become our typical quick lunch, delicious and always readily available,” Stokes said. “We grabbed a slice and headed for the Pantheon walking along cobblestone back alleys. From there, we settled in for a couple of hours at Piazza Navona where we ate dolci, dessert at a sidewalk café, and purchased art from street vendors.” The group’s last Italian dinner consisted of bruschetta, salad, pork, and tiramisu at a vibrant, fun restaurant in Rome.

“It’s important to be a life-long learner and you can do that with a textbook,” Stokes said, “but for these three Pea Ridge High School students, choosing the road less traveled made all the difference.”◊◊◊

Sarah Stokes is the principal of Pea Ridge Intermediate School and has been traveling internationally since 1997. Her next international tour will be to China in 2014 and is open to adults as well as students. Contact her at [email protected] for more information.