Why hello there Terme dai Papi!

So just to update a bit, the last month is going by extremely quick and so far so good!  We had a film festival at our school which was pretty neat because we were able to watch Italian independent films (2 each night) for 3 nights and rate them.  This whole ordeal was started a while ago by the president of LDM because he is into cinematography and movies and was in the business before he came to LDM.  I only watched 4 out 6, one didn’t even have English subtitles, AND I actually understood what was going on (not really- no but what was being said I didn’t follow but the whole story because the filming was excellent.

The movies were open to the students (duh) and the public as well, the second day I went it was only me, my advisors (because AT LEAST one of them has to be there) and 3 old ladies from Tuscania, it was interesting because it was really graphic when it came to the relationship between the gay characters (you know what I mean ;] ) but I am glad I got to participate!  The “filmspray” it was called ended Thursday, and the next day (Friday!) we went on another field trip!  This time to the Terme dei Papi- a natural hot springs spa in Viterbo- this place was also SO COOL!!

Terme dei Papi is a hotel /spa that uses the earths natural hot water for its services.  The name "dei Papi" - of the Popes - derives from the intervention of a third pope, Nicholas V, who was so impressed by the curative effects of the local waters that, in 1450, he had a splendid palace built here, in order to have somewhere to stay whenever he required treatment.  Even Michelangelo, passing through Viterbo during one of his journeys to Rome (sometime between 1496 and 1536), was greatly impressed by the beauty of the baths and was inspired to do two pen drawings of them which today can admired at the Vicar de Lille Museum in France.

Although Terme has many services to offer including massages, mud baths, skin treatment, etc, the school only paid for us to enter the grand thermal pool.  And although the pool smelled like rotting eggs,  I had a blast!  The hyper thermal waters which can be from 40° - 58° C is rich in sulphurous salts and calcium bicarbonate, magnesium, which combined surprisingly, has always been appreciated for its therapeutic properties.  These characteristics of the hot springs are used for therapeutic applications, in particular, in the cure and prevention of chronic disturbances of the whole breathing apparatus, in bone and joint pathologies, skin complaints, genital complaints (hmm) and dysmetabolic diseases. 

After two hours, ate lunch and headed home.  After, I iced my foot because it has a huge bruise on it from running, just my luck.  I hope it gets better soon because the weather is too nice to not walk and run on the beautiful countryside of Italy!

Franka and I outside the National Museum of Modern Art

On Sunday of this weekend, I went to ROME with Franka and Massimo, my advisor and his wife.  I told Massimo I wanted to go to Rome this weekend, but after I found out no one wanted to go (God only knows why) he kindly offered for me to go to Rome with him and his wife!  I had a blast, Massimo reminds me of my grandpa always making jokes and playing tricks and Franka is SO EXTREMELY NICE, which made this day so fun! We first went to the Galleria Nazionale D’Arte Moderna (in Northern Rome) because it was free entrance to public museums in all Italy (because it was national art week)- 70% of the all the worlds famous art is in Italy, and 30% specifically in Italy.  The museum was beautiful, I learned so much and saw so many paintings!  After the gallery we saw an Italian famous acress and the OWNER of Ferrari walking his dog…nbd, check out the pic on FB lol.

After the Museum, they so kindly took it upon themselves to show me around Rome while eating gelato!  Being the history buff that they are, I learned so much more about Rome then I would have visited by myself.  I saw the Trevi Fountain, The Vatican, The Pantheon, The Spanish Steps, Piazza Venezia and so much more that I cannot even recall- not the Colleseo or much of Ancient Rome because I am going to visit Rome at least 2 more times with my classes!

After the whole day in Rome, I fell asleep on the way home- before I fell asleep; Franka was so excited to hear that I have pancake syrup and peanut butter!  She and I decided we are going to meet up again before I leave because we got along so well- and of course have pancakes and apples and peanut butter!

She EVEN invited me and my family and Andrew to come back to Italy and stay with them when I do!  I was so happy to be with such a kind people, I prefer to surround myself with kind people, and when I am with Franka, Massimo, Arianna, Mei, Manuella and Felice, I am so happy! Because they remind me of my family at home J.

Trevi Fountain, someone or something made me laugh!

The following day, we had our make up class for cooking- PASTRY LESSON! OH MY GOSH I made a very easy AMAZING alternative to a cinnamon crunch bagel…pizza con zucchero e canela! (HOMEMADE pizza with cinnamon and sugar- TO DIE FOR!!!!)

Pizza con canela e zucchero Ingredients
1 Kilo Flour
2 g salt
40 g yeast (usually use a little more but since the weather is warmer, use less yeast)
500 g water (usually use olive oil/pork fat but since we are using potatoes, we use water)
600 g boiled potatoes (around 6 potatoes- use potatoes because we are making sweet pizza)
200 g sugar
200 g cinnamon

**Usually 1 kilo of pizza for 500 g potatoes

DIRECTIONS FOR PIZZA CON CANELLA E ZUCCHERO:

1.       Oven set to 230°C

2.       Combine all ingredients together except cinnamon and sugar

3.       Mix with hand mixer

4.       Play “piano” on the dough in the pizza pan/large cookie sheet until dough covers edges

5.       Leave dough for 5 minutes- Play “piano”-Leave dough again for 5 minutes-Play “piano again”

6.       Leave for 5 minutes- use the Pastry Dough Docker on the dough

7.       Mix with hand cinnamon and sugar in bowl

8.       Add on top of pizza evenly

9.       Generously Pour olive oil on top (not sure if extra virgin or not)

10.   Bake for about 20 minutes checking often- then cool and enjoy!

If you have any questions, you can just email me or comment and I would be more than happy to help! 

Well I have another day, Another adventure ahead of me (adventure meaning papers for finals!)

Ciao ciao