Siena’s Claim to Fame

Most people that visit Siena may find it too low key for their taste. It is definitely not Florence, where there are two story clubs that keep you dancing until 3 am; its for sure not Rome, where you have to dodge cabs as you try and make it to your next destination on the “Spanish Steps Pub Crawl”; and yes the average age in Siena is somewhere between fifty and sixty years old. Yet, unlike any other Italian city, Siena’s claim to fame is its historic “Palio”, celebrated twice a year once in July and once in August, and with such large celebration that it puts Florence’s clubs and Rome’s pub crawls to shame.

The Sienese Palio is the historical horse race that takes place twice a year between the contrade (neighborhoods) of Siena in the main piazza, Piazza Del Campo. Originally these contradas were set up as small militias that were used to compose “The Army of the Republic” used as the defense military for the city, but now the seventeen contradas, which have their own affiliated animal, ranging from a porcupine to a unicorn, are mainly the differing neighborhoods with strong localized patriotism to each of their historical pasts. (more…)

Italian Food Snobbery

Going into my seventh week abroad in Italy, I am quickly realizing that I am more and more becoming an “Italian food snob.” This means that when I do eventually get back to the US, I will be the girl that is sitting at Gio’s with my friends who takes a bite of her pizza and throws it back to her plate saying, “GOD, this tastes like absolute crap compared to the pizza I would eat in Italy.” Then I would probably go into all the differences between these two slices of pizza and how no one will ever understand.

Trust me—I am not happy about this. I don’t want to be that annoying girl that comes back to school and only talks about how much better Italy is than the US, but if any one of you could try some of the food I have been exposed to, you would think that God personally reached his hand down to you and brought you up to heaven for seconds.

I think that I officially crossed the line to becoming an “Italian food snob” when I went on a field trip to Bologna with my program last weekend. Bologna—also known as “Grassa Citta” or “Fat City,”—is known for its fresh tortellini, aged Parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinegar, and a combo of all three of these things will bring you to your knees. (more…)

Cinque Terre: The Santa Barbara of Italy

Hey, my name is Alex Khatchadourian, and I have been living in the small Italian town of Siena, located in the heart of Tuscany. Seeing as I have been here for the past month, I have come to find a pizza stand where I can buy a slice, as large as half a Domino’s pizza, that is only 3 euro; I can openly drink a beer in the streets without having to worry about a cop coming up to me on a horse and asking, “What is that in your hand young lady?”; and that people will not judge you if they see you eating a gelato at 9 am (well at least not openly).  Amongst all these great discoveries, I could sense that something was still missing in this new place I call home: the beach.  Like most Santa Barbara inhabitants, the beach is my haven for evening jogs, excuses not to study on a Sunday afternoon (or any day of the week in fact), and a place to just relax, swim, and enjoy the sounds and smell of the waves as they roll onto the shore. (more…)