Sabbatical travels with Libby and Lloyd

Florence

2010-01-31T18:19:00.001-08:00

We spent an entire week in Florence while I attended my seminar on "The Romantics in Italy: Dante, Italian Culture, and Romantic Literature." This event was hosted by the Fondazione Romualdo Del Bianco in Florence. There were daily sessions of academic papers, keynote lectures, meals, and visits to museums: a unique and richly rewarding time.

Saturday morning we returned our little red GM Aveo and walked back to our hotel through the narrow streets of Florence. Suddenly, like a vision, the Duomo, Bell Tower, and Baptistry came into view:

My favorite panel from Ghiberti's Doors of Paradise on the Baptistry--the espousal of Mary and Joseph.

The banks of the Arno with the Ponte Vecchio

and the view from our 4th floor hotel room...

The Florence Synagogue

We attended an amazing concert of Mozart and Schubert in the Galleria dell'Accademia: a string duet, trio, and quintet, played on period instruments from the 1700's belonging to the museum's La Collezione del Conservatorio "Cherubini". The concert took place beneath the imposing figure of Michelangelo's David and the four Prisoners, fighting their way out of the solid marble: what a setting! This was a rare opportunity to photograph the sculptures, which is forbidden during the museum's normal opening hours.

The group walked to a very cold afternoon excursion at the Pitti Palace, with this view of Tuscan hills beyond the Boboli Gardens:

Beautiful porcelain from a museum in the Bob0li Gardens

The Duomo from the Gardens

Casa Guidi, home of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The conference-goers attended a poetry reading here.

Palazzo Strozzi, where a conference session was held in the Gabinetto Vieusseux.

Ponte Vecchio

Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale

The private library of the Uffizi Gallery, where our conference met for another session.

Delightful musical children--in the Museo dell'Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore.

Courtyard of the Bargello Museum

Beautiful nudes

and lovers

Scenes of the city and river:

The Hill Towns

2010-01-29T14:54:00.000-08:00

This is our last night in Italy, near the Milan airport. We're trying to catch up, so here are a few glimpses of some of the places we have visited. We loved these Umbrian hill towns and wish we could have visited many more.

Todi--Sam's summer town for clarinet

Sam's favorite cafe in Todi

The mother and daughter who work in the cafe were so happy to learn we are Sam's parents

The elaborate fountain in Perugia

Old doors are so inviting.

Perugia's unusual San Michele Arcangelo church - built in the VI century (with the only lawn in the ancient center of town).

Gubbio: a perfect Medieval town

Huge Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi

Arezzo

Sienna

The synagogue in Sienna
San Gimignano, with a few of its many towers

Three days in Cortona

2010-01-28T10:59:00.000-08:00

After reading only a brief reference to Cortona in a guide book, we decided to set our trusty Tomtom to lead us there. We found the old (Etruscan walls!) hill town with no trouble, parked our little red rental car, and hiked UP to check out the hostel which is in a former convent. But Sergio, the friendly manager, insisted that he must put us in an apartment nearby which he saves for grown ups (ie not rowdy students), for the same price of 20 euro per person per night. Further up and around some more tiny twisty streets, we were pleased to find the apartment included a kitchen, large living/dining room, bedroom, a TV to watch news, and bathroom with a washing machine in the corner. The only thing lacking was internet - so we did without. Turns out Cortona is pretty perfect. Here are a few photos to prove it:

Cortona with the valley far below.

The front door of our apartment--notice the steep street.

The oldest street in town.

The piazza in the center of town.

"Le Celle"--hermitage where St. Francis lived for a while.

Rome

2010-01-22T08:51:00.001-08:00

Rome was overwhelming. So much to see and absorb and ponder. Here are a few of our visual impressions after three days exploring the city.

St. Peter's is huge.

Michelangelo's gentle pieta

Sistine Chapel ceiling

Raphael - School of Athens, in Vatican museum

Nice touch of inlaid stone

Double spiral staircase in Vatican

Trevi Fountain

He refused to toss a coin

Pausing for pasta at Campo di Fiori

Original doors from the Roman Senate, now part of St. John Lateran Basilica

Michelangelo's Moses

Lloyd's Romantic pilgrimage - Keats died here.

Felix, the guide, lecturing Italian students about Keats.

Cemetery for non-Catholics who must be buried outside the city walls, as was Keats.

No label needed

In the old Ghetto, where we enjoyed fried Jewish artichokes just down the street from the old synagogue which the Pope visited two days later.

Milano

2010-01-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

The view from Milan's Hotel Aspromonte, where we stayed for four days.

In downtown Milan we met this amazing accordion player:

The entrance to a shopping arcade near Piazza Duomo.

Interior of the Milan Cathedral.

On the huge front door, The espousal of Joseph and Mary.

The courtyard of the Pinocoteca Museum.

Raphael's Espousal of Mary and Joseph, in the Pinocoteca.

One of so many beautiful and tender paintings of the Madonna and Child.

I was struck by how much Renaissance art celebrates domesticity, especially in scenes of mother and child or husband and wife. This supremely humanizing art honors and elevates the everyday aspects of human life with its moments of tenderness and love, revealing a divine quality to the bond between parent and child, between husband and wife.

Last Images of Israel

2010-01-08T00:12:00.000-08:00

In the last ten days we have driven the country top to bottom, seen all the borders, visited the Red Sea, Dead Sea, Med Sea, Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, stayed in some fascinating locations, eaten lots of salad and humous, and worried with Israelis about the political realities of life in this small young country. Shalom Eretz Yisroel!

The border with Lebanon

Cliffs and surf at Rosh Hanikra

In the Rosh Hanikra grottos

The view from the cliffs.

Hostel at Eilat

The Red Sea at Eilat

Sculptures by Alexander Kizner;
we visited his house and garden, where most of his works are displayed

The Dead Sea from Ein Gedi

The gardens at Kibbutz Ein Gedi

Always good advice.

What? Whence? Whither?

Cyprus scenes

2010-01-01T10:56:00.000-08:00

Cyprus hills

Monastery near Lefkara:

A shop in the old Cypriot mountain village of Omodos

The Roman theater in Kourion

Mosaic tiles in the Roman baths at Kourion

Christmas ships

enjoying Cypriot fish meze: a variety of dishes,
brought to the table in a seemingly endless procession

Anastasia and Savva, our Cypriot friends

A Cyprus Christmas

2009-12-31T04:41:00.000-08:00

We spent a wonderful week with my former student, Anastasia Manoli, and her husband Savva and their little boy Yiorgos. They were marvelous hosts, welcoming us into their home, taking us to interesting places,

ordering the right food for us to eat at restaurants,

and including us in their family Christmas dinner at Anastasia's parents (notice the Jack Daniels whiskey, though we also discovered the pleasures of Cypriot zivannia and Commandario):

Anastasia and family picked us up at the airport, and after coffee at a nearby cafe she took us to St. Lazurus church:

Lazarus came to Cyprus after Jesus raised him from the dead, and lived another thirty years before dying a second time. He is buried in this church.

We have much more to post of our visit to Cyprus, but have limited access to the internet, in a Naharyia mall cafe in the north of Israel, so we'll end for now.
Happy New Year to all.

Touring the North of Israel

2009-12-23T22:29:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we bid farewell to our Jerusalem apartment;

I caught the bus downtown, picked up the rental car we had reserved, drove back to Baka, loaded our two suitcases into the trunk, and off we went! The car felt like such freedom after the past several weeks of buses. Our destination was the Jordan River valley, but we couldn't resist exploring a little of eastern Jerusalem on our way out of town. We explored long enough to get lost--all too easy in Jerusalem--and eventually, after asking at a gas station, found the highway going down, down, down, through bare and arid hills, to the Jordan River, far below sea level

and past the obligatory camel.

Turning north, we continued through the Jordan valley, up to Gan Hashlosha, an Eden-like national park.

We enjoyed swimming in the naturally warm pool and having our feet nibbled by little brown fish; afterward, a wonderfully superb dinner at the restaurant in the park--our best since NYC.

Lodgings were close by: Kibbutz Bet Aleph, where we slept in comfort--and in the morning a basket full of typical Israeli breakfast items was delivered to our door: cheese, tuna, olives, chopped tomato and cucumber, rolls, juice, fruit, and even halvah.

Our next stop was Tiberius, a historic city on the banks of Kinneret, (The Sea of Galilee).

We indulged in coffee on the roof terrace of The Scots Hotel, an elegant, well maintained spot of beauty:

with its pleasant view of the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights in the far distance:

From Tiberius we drove up the Hula valley as far as Kiriat Shemona, then turned back toward Safed, high in the hills of the Galilee.

The friendly people in the tourist information office recommended a bed-and-breakfast, made a reservation, and sent us on our way to The Safed Inn, a wonderful place owned and managed by a native of Safed and his Jewish-American wife Riki, who eagerly talked with us about Israeli politics and religion. Before bed we enjoyed a warm, relaxing dip in their garden hot tub.

Next morning, the old city and the artist's colony: old synagogues,

archeological remains, a remarkable candle factory, and many art galleries:

After Safed we stopped briefly at Rimon Winery. "Rimon" is Hebrew for pomegranate, and this winery specializes in 100 percent pomegranate wine. The fruit is both delicious and beautiful:

Our last stop in the Galilee region was Hazor, the ruins of an ancient Canaanite/Biblical city. It was the model for James Michener's fictional city of Makor in The Source, which Libby has been reading since we arrived in Israel. We strolled among the desolate ruins, admiring the ingenuity, resilience, and courage of the people who, through the rise and fall of empires, made Hazor home.

Too soon we began our descent from the high Galilee region to Rachel and Shlomo's Kfar Saba home near Tel Aviv to grab a few hours sleep, leaving at 3:30 a.m. to arrive at Ben Gurion airport the required three hours before our 7:05 flight to Cyprus...

Hanukkah, part 2

2009-12-18T20:54:00.000-08:00

We strolled down to the Kotel to see the lights, passing an enormous Hanukkia outside the Jaffa Gate to the Old City. It stood waiting to be lit later in the evening by a rabbi lifted up in a cherry picker:

A view of the Kotel from the Jewish Quarter:

Praying at the wall:

Atop a nearby wall, the flames from an enormous Hanukkia:

No longer known as the Wailing Wall, the Kotel is now mostly a place of rejoicing. Here young men dance and sing in celebration of the festival of lights. For those familiar with Black Adder, you may recall the Jumping Jews of Jerusalem...

More outdoor Hanukkah lights, in their wind-proof glass boxes; people set lots of them outside doors and on window ledges all over town and the oil burns cheerily much longer than candles.

Some display electric Hanukkah lights on their cars:

We came back to the Kotel once again for the last night of Hanukkah to see all eight lights blazing:

And in our apartment too:

An atmospheric video (turn up the volume): residents of Mea She'arim, the Ultra-Orthodox area of Jerusalem, rush to prepare for Hanukkah. Men wear long black coats, tzitzit, and big black hats. Women are always dressed in long skirts, dark tights, and head coverings. We saw several families pushing groceries in a stroller while their tribe of little ones walked beside the mama and papa.

The City of David

2009-12-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

Modern Jerusalem is divided into two major areas: the Old City and everything else. The Old City is easily identified by the great walls around it, built in 1517 by Suleiman the Great, the Ottoman Turk. But, of course, there are layers and layers of history here, and the Old City is not really very old. A visit to the City of David, an archeological site outside of those walls, took us deep into Jerusalem's Biblical past.

To get to The City of David we first walked through a lovely steep valley on the southern side of the Old City, with wild cyclamen on the cliffs.

The pictures below help make sense of the geography. The first is a modern aerial view of the hillside leading up to the walls of the Old City, with the temple mount in plain view at the top.

This drawing of the ancient City of David shows the same view. The ravine on the right and the road to the left in the photograph above clearly show the original boundaries, even with the walls gone.

The uppermost part of the city is where David's son Solomon built the first temple--the present-day temple mount.

The City of David was originally inhabited by Jebusites, at least 4,000 years ago. It was a good location for a settlement because of the spring of Gihon. Tunnels were hewed out of solid rock to bring water from the spring to another spot safe within the city walls. We walked through the dry tunnel below; another tunnel, built by Hezekiah, still flows with water, but we weren't prepared to get wet sloshing through it.

This sign commemorates the meeting of the rock-cutters in 701 B.C.: what an engineering accomplishment!

After its underground journey the water flows into the pool of Shiloah (Siloam in the New Testament):

Archeological digs continue nearby:

We marveled at the skill of ancient craftsmen and also of modern archeologists, who dig deep into rocky hillsides to uncover the hidden past. An "old city" is really a matter of historical perspective, and in these ruins and tunnels we discovered the true old city of Jerusalem--the City of David.

Hanukkah!

2009-12-12T11:22:00.001-08:00

Hanukkah has begun! This Friday Erev Shabbat was also the first night of Hanukkah. We were fortunate to have an invitation to spend the entire Shabbat with our friends Rachel and Schlomo, in their lovely home in Nachlaot, near the shouk, Machane Jehuda.

We have been marvelling at the number and variety of Hanukkah menorahs--Hanukkiot--in Jerusalem. Their construction seems to me to exhibit the hermeneutic principle of constraint and freedom that is characteristic of what Fisch identifies as Hebraism: there is the constraining obligation to a prior authoritative word that you covenantally accept, and there is also a release of imaginative and creative power to carry out that word. Dr. Schaeffer spoke of "form and freedom," and it is essentially the same thing. Here, there is the requirement to have eight candles that are all equal, one for each of the days of Hanukkah, and one other candle that is set apart and distinguished in some way--it is not one of the Hanukkah lights, but only the Shamesh, the helper, to provide light for lighting the other candles, since it is a rule that you cannot use the Hanukkah candles for any other purpose (such as providing illumination in your home) than celebrating the miracle of Hanukkah--the dedication of the temple, when the limited supply of sanctified oil miraculously burned for eight days. So we have seen wonderful displays of them all over Jerusalem. Here are a few:

We decided to make our own, which is another option. Ellen suggested buying children's colored clay, so here is Libby constructing our own temporary Hanukkiah:

In the afternoon we walked around the busy streets of Jerusalem and through the shuk, where everyone was busy shopping for Shabbat, and then to our friends' lovely home:

We lit the first light of Hanukkah, then the Shabbat candles to welcome in Shabbat, and then went to Friday night services. After that, dinner and early bed. Schlomo and I were up at 5:00 to go to a synagogue that displays its zeal for prayer by starting the Shabbat morning service as early as permitted. Libby and Rachel went to a later service at a different synagogue, that displays its zeal by joyful singing. Constraint and freedom!

After lunch and our Sabbath rest we all walked to another friend's house for a study session--it is traditional to spend some time during Shabbat studying Torah or Talmud. We read and discussed some of the verses in Jeremiah, chapter six, where Jeremiah prophecies against the inhabitants of Jerusalem: "they say 'peace, peace,' but there is no peace." There was something so immediate and uncanny about reading this while sitting in a home in Jerusalem.

We returned to end Shabbat with the brief Havdala service, and then lit two candles for the second night of Hanukkah. Here is Rachel and Schlomo's Hanukkiah, in a glass case for displaying outside:

When we got back to our apartment, we lit our own. Happy Hanukkah!

Part II - The video

2009-12-07T10:21:00.000-08:00

Yay. It took nearly all day but finally here is the video I made of our little temporary home. Did I leave anything out - just ask. Click on the link to YouTube and take a look.

Our apartment in Jerusalem

Our Jerusalem Home: Part I

2009-12-03T01:55:00.001-08:00

Our neighborhood is called Bak'ka and we are told that it's the yuppie side of town. There is a nearby shopping area with fancier cafes and shops, lots of English heard on the sidewalks, and people with obvious leisure to stroll and sip. Most coffee we have tried is good and strong, though in homes and hotels it is usually instant (ugh, why?). From here to our friend's home in the Old City is a 45 minute walk, the only way to get there and back on shabbat, unless you splurge on a taxi - though not with a Jewish driver because you would be causing him to break the sabbath. So that's what we have done the past two Friday nights. Figuring out bus routes and schedules is crazily difficult; people say they change weekly due to the many construction projects - but really I think Israelis don't worry about it (they are so not Swiss) and just ask the driver.

Here is the front of our building, which is older than many others nearby. We are on the fourth floor (no elevator). I think there are eight apartments, though it's hard to tell and impossible to ask. Even though the huge front window is clearly not maintained, the hallways, stairs, and front walk are tidy.

I narrated a nice video of the inside the other day, but alas I gabbed too much and it won't fit. Couldn't this site accept that I need to make it seven minutes long so nothing is left out? Maybe Aaron could make it work, but I can't so I guess I will try to make a shorter version tomorrow.

Meanwhile, here are two attractive nearby homes, just so you'll have a feel for the atmosphere:

Trouble Update

2009-11-30T09:09:00.000-08:00

We think the critters are gone! I hesitate to posit certainty (is that ever possible?) because who knows what lurks ahead - but there is no new evidence. So we like our little apt. very much again.The ink, however, remains as a reminder of the episode, scattered across much of our wardrobe. The current condition of L's silk undershirt:

This was the first, and last, time ever taking our clothes to a laundry to be put in a huge machine by a stranger.

It's a long commute from here to Bar Ilan Unversity, where L is digging through Harold Fisch's papers - 1/2 hour ride on the city bus which stops across the street, then 50 minutes on a big Greyhound style bus to the university which is way down by Tel Aviv, followed by a 15 minute stroll across the campus to the portable classroom we are using as a work space. Then the reverse to return (which sometimes is longer due to rush hour). And don't forget that our bags have to be searched and ourselves scanned at several spots along the way. Today I snapped this of L beside an IDF soldier on the city bus. They are everywhere and look very serious when on duty.

Friday we went to the Kotel (Western Wall) in the Old City before our Thanksgiving shabbat dinner with Allen Hoffman and family. No photos allowed on the sabbath - but it was packed on both the men's and women's sides. We each threaded our way through the appropriate section to place a hand on the ancient wall, the only surviving remains of the 2nd temple built by King Herod. Then I stood on a handy nearby chair to peer over at the men and watch the wonderfully diverse crowd, some praying, some kibbitzing, some dancing and singing, many fully armed soldiers among them. We did manage a picture of the Kotel from the steps going up to the Jewish Quarter:

Dinner at the home of our modern orthodox friend was delish, beginning with sabbath prayers, challah and wine, then a first course of turkey matzoh ball soup. All the usual trimmings followed, though I must confess to not noticing every detail because the conversation was so interesting. And yes, dessert was pie - pecan and pumpkin. Sorry, no photos due to sabbath.

Travel troubles

2009-11-26T07:38:00.000-08:00

Okay. The straight truth is that this day is NOT going well at all. Problems at the apartment have been mounting, culminating in our spending tonight in a nearby hotel room.

This morning it became undeniably clear that the bed is hosting bed bugs. The ugly evidence on Lloyd's elbow:

So we emailed Josh and Yael (hoping to save on iphone bills) to let them know the sad situation. After several exchanges, Yael decided to hire an exterminator and send us to a hotel. So we put the bed linens in the small washer in the kitchen, intending to hang them out in the sun before departing. Alas, the spin and drain cycles don't work and water leaks onto the tile floor, so we gave up and left the sheets in the machine.

Lloyd took our pile of dirty clothes to a nearby laundry just in case they might contain bugs. We packed our other stuff, pulled our (thankfully small) bags several blocks to the hotel and checked in. Facilities are NOT equivalent to American ones, in case you wondered. We went for a walk, treated ourselves to a compensation lunch here

Then L returned to pick up our clean clothing, only to learn that he had left his pen in a pocket. The shop didn't check - so now ink is added to our troubles. You know how L. loves his (formerly) white shirts. Sigh. The laundry closed at 5:30 and is of course closed for shabbat. So the man at the counter claimed that they have chemicals to remove the ink and said come back at 5:30 Sunday. Do you blame me for being skeptical?

Hope to follow up with a happy resolution update soon.

Akko, Moshe, and the beach

2009-11-24T06:23:00.000-08:00

Today the internet man came to hook up wireless in our apartment. Of course, Yael, the young woman from whom we are subletting this place, had to be here to translate and sign forms. So at last we have dependable service, though just now have been struggling to get to this page in English rather than Hebrew. Add to that the presence of the landlord for the last hour or so (without Yael), lots of time spent pondering, waiting for the helper, then the electrician, with the final response to the problem of fixing the heat being - I'll be back later (said in Hebrew with enough gestures to sort of communicate). So now we are alone for a bit and will attempt to update you on the rest of our visit to the north.

After two nights in our Jaffa hostel we rented a car in Tel Aviv, calculating that it didn't cost much more than train + bus + taxi, and drove up the coast to Kibbutz Nes Ammim. We spent two nights there in a comfortable modern room in the guest house, surrounded by quiet paths and greenery. But we couldn't have guessed from what we read in the hostel brochure that it would turn out to be the only Christian kibbutz in Israel (!), staffed entirely by Dutch and German volunteers. Very peculiar. They were friendly enough, but the lack of Israelis and Hebrew made us question their grand purpose of dialogue.

The next afternoon we drove to the nearby ancient port of Akko (Acre in English). A shouk, winding narrow streets between massive stone walls, and lots of history. We climbed this massive stone ramp to the top of the outermost city wall to check out the view and read about Napoleon's fruitless attempts to conquer the city in 1799.

The old city has a series of three walls, separated by moats; here we are looking into the old city garden from the inner wall:

We overheard tour guides speaking Spanish, German, Hebrew, Russian - but alas no English that day. Going back in time, there is evidence of a Crusader castle, and way before that, ancient Phonecian remains. It's chiefly an Arab town now, with the usual mixed attitude of pride and lack of attention that leads to a confused scene of restoration, mess, trash, cars, noise, and half finished projects. As Yael reminded us, one needs to remember that Israel is a 3rd world country even if it is 1st in innovative technology and military preparedness.

Lunch at Said's in the shouk. A crazy busy little restaurant with no menu, just the famous hummous. Everybody knows it's the place to eat in Akko - a bowl of hummous and a bowl of pickles, olives, raw onion, and tomato, with plenty of pita.

The next day we drove to Moshe's apartment in the pleasant town of Kiryiat Bialik. As most of you know, he is our dear friend from KY who, along with his two little boys, made aliyah to Israel last January. He was genuinely thrilled to have us as his first visitors - and he hopes many more will come. He and his fiance Liat welcomed us generously.

Her family are Moroccan Jews, traditionally very hospitable. Her mother cooked tasty traditional dishes for Shabbat dinner which we carried over to Moshe's place and enjoyed together.

On Shabbat Israel basically shuts down. No transportation, nearly all stores closed, everyone relaxing. Moshe's six year old son Yehuda announced to me, "I LOVE Shabbat"- yes, the USA should certainly reinstitute a day of sabbath rest. After a leisurely morning (kids up before 6) we went to the beach to stroll and chat,

marvel at the big jellyfish, watch kids swarming a playground as they do everywhere. There is exercise equipment disguised as fun in lots of beachside areas, so healthy.

Strange to gaze out at the huge Mediterranean Sea and imagine all who have stood beside it in ages past.

Repair update: the lights all work now, plus the water heater, which is needed when there's no sun to warm the tank on the roof; however all the power just went off as we were beginning to prepare our first dinner. Lloyd called Yael, who explained the location of the main switch in the hallway by the front door of the building. He flipped it, lights are on, and now (I hope) we'll fix some Davies style pasta.

Tel Aviv and Jaffa

2009-11-19T08:19:00.000-08:00

We only had two nights reserved at our hostel in Jerusalem, so we scrambled around on the internet looking for both short and longer term solutions to the problem of affordable housing. Through internet searches on Craig's List and by word of mouth we found some leads on apartments in Jerusalem, as well as a hostel in Old Jaffa. Monday morning we checked out of the Jerusalem hostel and took a bus to the other side of town where we looked at two apartments. One was too small and close to a noisy busy street, but the other was just right--more on it later, once we move in on Sunday!

We then took a bus down to Tel Aviv, another bus to Jaffa, and, finally, a short walk to the hostel:

This was our room, the whole thing, by far the smallest we have ever stayed in, literally no room to turn around!

with an even smaller bathroom!

But we could escape to the roof terrace,

to see this view of the narrow streets below:

The hostel is in the midst of Jaffa's flea-market, so we enjoyed walking through the displays of junk, beautiful fabrics, and other oddities.

Jaffa has a lovely artist's colony in the old port area:

A minaret overlooking the Mediterranean:

In a different direction, the view from Jaffa of modern Tel Aviv (celebrating its hundredth birthday this year):

We strolled through the city, stopping at fruit stands for fresh juice (orange and pomegranate is our favorite), squeezed to order,

passed the harbor marina,

and watched kite surfers ride the waves as the sun set over the deep blue Mediterranean.

Back in Jaffa , at a restaurant beneath the old stone arches,

our favorite local treat.

First sights in Israel

2009-11-17T10:35:00.001-08:00

Tel Aviv from the plane.

We usually take pictures of interesting oddities, one of a kind sights, bits that somehow signify the difference of Israeli life - so don't expect many famous historical photos.

Libby's favorite sign on first walk in Jerusalem

above this display.

Biblical symbolism in silver: the Ark of the Covenant

and Noah's Ark.

Inside Mehane Yehuda market.

Well worn poster at the entrance to Mea Shearim, the ultra orthodox quarter in Jerusalem.

The round Ethiopian Church

We obeyed this request.

And this one (though we have no idea what the language at bottom might be).

We Love New York City

2009-11-12T14:49:00.000-08:00

We've just about concluded our week long stay in NYC. Earlier today we down-loaded our boarding passes to the iphone--completely paperless!--and tomorrow afternoon we'll be flying off to Israel.

We were working on this blog entry at the 96th St. Public Library until it closed a short while ago, so now we are back at Sophia and Ping's apartment on Park Ave. They have been gracious and amiable hosts, giving us their living room for our bedroom, and generally taking good care of us.
Here is a sample of some of our city photos.

Skyscraper looming over Bryant Park

Subway music: entertainment and talent everywhere!

The fabulous New York City Public Library

We had a private tour of the special Pforzheimer Collection of Shelley and His Circle as part of the Conference on Romanticism.

The Metropolitan Opera, where we saw the extravagant Zeffirelli production of Puccini's Turandot with Debby and Udo: here we see the glittering hall, the audience and,

for Sam, the orchestra pit.

Glitzy shoes for shoppers. I think they are Rachel's size!

Unexpectedly odd store names.

IchiUmi, a gigantic sushi bar where we enjoyed a vast array of ultra fresh Japanese dishes.

Ice skating at Rockefeller Plaza.

Rockefeller Center at night.

We made our usual pilgrimage to the Plaza Hotel to pay our respects to Eloise:

Aaron had flown in from Singapore, so
he and Sophia strolled with us on a beautiful afternoon in Central Park.

Continuous rainbow!

Lloyd took this great shot of the reservoir.

Autumn ginkgo leaves.

Sabbatical Projects

2009-11-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

Our sabbatical travels allow us to visit friends and sites along the way, but we have three academic destinations in New York, Jerusalem, and Florence. I’ve completed part of the New York segment, so I can report on that and also describe what I anticipate in the weeks ahead.

1. New York

I’ve just attended the annual meeting of the International Conference on Romanticism, which I have enjoyed for fifteen years, and through my participation have had several articles published. The theme this year is “Romanticism and the City”— no doubt in honor of the host city, possibly the greatest city in the world. The title of the paper I presented is “Byron’s Celestial City: Childe Harold in Rome.” Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage ends in Rome, and since I am also working on Byron for the Florence symposium on the Romantics and Dante (see below), it seemed a good idea to focus for this conference on what Rome—once the greatest city in the world—represents to Byron.

I wanted to understand what “the city” has meant historically to its citizens, and thus also what is significant about the condition of exile from one’s city. Byron himself was exiled from London and England, traveling through Belgium and Germany to Switzerland, and then to Italy. His travels in exile are, of course, the background for the fictitious Harold’s own travels. The idea of exile also is a significant connection to Dante, who was banished for his entire adult life from his beloved Florence. What is significant about the condition of exile?

I developed a theory of the city and of exile through Bernard Henri-Lévy’s The Testament of God. Debby Middelmann recently encouraged me to re-read it (it is one of her favorite books), so this project gave me the opportunity to read it carefully, take notes, and then fit it into my own interests. Lévy contrasts the radically different understanding of the city seen in classical Greek literature with that of the Hebrew Scriptures: the Greeks found their self-identity only as citizens of the polis; thus Socrates chose death in the city over exile from it. Both the Greek city-state and the Roman Empire demanded a religious allegiance to the city and its gods. In contrast, the Jews mark their origin as a people with Abraham, called out of the city, out of Ur of the Chaldees. Abraham becomes the first instance of the exile, the individual who chooses wandering over rootedness, a de-sanctified universe over pagan veneration of the local gods. What follows, in the Hebrew Scriptures, is the record of individuals rising up in prophetic denunciations against the injustice and evil perpetrated by the city.

Yet, while a corrupt Jerusalem is subject to prophetic critique, it is also portrayed in exilic writing as the hope of the future—Jerusalem rebuilt and restored. Zechariah envisions a time when “People will live in Jerusalem as though in open country” (2:8)—that is, when the old boundaries of pagan cities, with their blind loyalties, will be no more. Instead, Zechariah says, “There shall yet come peoples, the inhabitants of many cities; and the inhabitants of one city shall approach those of another, and say, ‘Come! Let us go to implore the favor of the LORD’; and, ‘I too will go to seek the LORD.’ Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem” (8: 20-22). This is the Hebraic idea of the city: the new Jerusalem, a city without walls and open to the world, a meeting place of individuals from multiple cities, who, like Zechariah himself, are free citizens, seeking justice and peace.

I then traced the historical developments that allowed Dante and, later, Byron, to have an identity as an exile. Dante wrote a wonderful letter in defiance of Florence in which he rejects the indignity of returning to Florence as a penitent in what he calls the “abject self-abasement of a soul of clay.” “What then?” asks Dante, “May I not gaze upon the mirror of the sun and stars wherever I may be? Can I not ponder on the sweetest truths wherever I may be beneath the heaven, but I must first make me inglorious, nay infamous, before the people and the state of Florence? Nor shall I lack for bread.” This declaration of independence from his native city shows a remarkable personal integrity: wherever he may be, he is himself, standing without fear beneath the canopy of the heavens—he is, we might say, a citizen of the universe. And furthermore, he need not depend on Florence for his life sustenance, but rather on a truer solidarity built between individuals.

I love and admire Dante’s sense of independence, the selfhood that allows him to stand alone. It is important to recognize that such a freedom is biblically-derived; you can’t get it from classical Greece and Rome. I suspect that even the modern freedom to travel, to immigrate, is a legacy of Abraham. America as a country is established on just such a view of community: not through blood or sacred soil hallowed by the gods, but a community of free individuals.

While in NYC I'll also be lecturing at King’s College for Udo Middelmann, the director of the Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation in Switzerland. I will speak on Harold Fisch, the Israeli literary critic/scholar, who is the focus of my sabbatical research in Israel. I’ll also be demonstrating how his literary hermeneutic works by analyzing three of my favorite poems, Blake’s “The Sick Rose”, Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale”, and “Ode on a Grecian Urn.” More on that later.

2. Jerusalem

I plan to study the papers of Harold Fisch, the Israeli literary scholar and critic whose work has inspired my own thoughts and writings about literature over the past fifteen years. Our schedule will afford me plenty of time to examine his lecture notes, unpublished writings, and whatever else I may find. I also want to use some of our time in Israel to write up my thoughts for future publication. Of course, Libby and I are also looking forward to exploring more of Israel.

3. Florence

In late January I’ll be one of the participants in a week-long symposium on "The Romantics in Italy: Dante, Italian Culture, and Romantic Literature" at the Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation. Scroll down the website and click on my name to see more on my paper. This is a unique opportunity to engage in a sustained discussion with other scholars on the relationship of Dante to the Romantics while simultaneously enjoying the life of Florence. It will be a great conclusion to my sabbatical before flying home.

Drive to Annapolis

2009-11-05T12:07:00.000-08:00

While in Washington, D.C. we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon drive to Annapolis, the capitol of Maryland and home of the Naval Academy as well as St. John's College, the unique "great-books" school. We loved strolling through narrow colonial streets and admiring lovely houses:

We also visited old St. Anne's Church:

which contains these historical plaques. It is so interesting to travel from Boston in the north to Annapolis in the south and find the same celebration, in the churches, of commitment to the Revolution. And, also, as here, an ecumenical spirit uniting Protestants and Catholics in the common cause of independence:

Beautiful faces at the National Gallery of Art

2009-11-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

We began our short tour of the National Gallery with a special exhibit of works by the 17th century Dutch woman painter Judith Leyster.

In the next room are the gorgeous Vermeers, including Woman Holding a Balance.

Both depict interior domestic scenes so warm and human, so invitingly similar to our modern selves in every way but costume. These ladies seem ready to have coffee and chat, don't they?

I found this earlier portrait of Lucrezia Sommaria, by the Florentine painter Ghirlandaio, strikingly beautiful. She is cool and formal, not homey in the Dutch manner, but endlessly serene. How could she have imagined that so many would gaze upon her face these many centuries later?

Gentileschi's Saint Cecilia and an Angel is both heavenly and domestic, as the sweet angel holds music for the saint, who could be one of Lloyd's piano students, as she plays her instrument.

The only painting in America by Leonardo da Vinci is one of the National Gallery's special treasures. She is Ginevra de Benci, a cultured 15th century Florentine lady.

Folger Library in Washington D.C.

2009-11-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday Gloria dropped us off at her nearby T station where we caught the trolley to Logan Airport for our short flight to Baltimore. Then we took a bus to a suburban subway station to ride the train to Pentagon Station in Washington DC. From there we boarded a local bus to Bob's street and walked to his apartment with our (small) luggage. Great to be greeted by old friends after a long day of travel.

We borrowed their car to drive into DC on Friday for the 11:00 tour of The Folger Shakespeare Library.

This perfectly preserved first folio edition is an impressive sight:

Ethnic afternoon

2009-11-01T15:49:00.001-08:00

Since our old friends Bob and Liz have been posted many places with the State Department they know a lot about ethnic enclaves in the DC area. Right now Bob is in the middle of language training in Pashto for his posting to Afghanistan next year. We chased around to find two Afghani stores where Bob discussed fine points of language with the owners, followed by Flame Kabob, the place his language teacher says is the best for Afghan food, where the four of us enjoyed a tasty lunch.

We were impressed by these strange large fruits at a Vietnamese shop.

Symphony Night

2009-10-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

One last full day of music in Boston: in the morning we toured The New England Conservatory of Music and in the evening went with Gloria to the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Orchestra Hall is a beautiful, ornate auditorium...

with sculptures of gorgeous nude men gazing down from above--Greek gods, we think.

We sat in the second balcony, far above the musicians. The acoustics are great, with every instrument clear, and the entire orchestra playing perfectly as one.

The BSO is performing the entire set of Beethoven symphonies this season; we heard the 3rd (Eroica) and the 4th.

Thank you Gloria for our wonderful two weeks in your elegant, cozy home.

Concord Afternoon

2009-10-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

Monday was a perfect autumn day: warm and sunny, leaves gorgeous with fall colors. Gloria sent us out to Concord to enjoy the countryside.

On the way to Concord we stopped briefly at Walden Pond, the pilgrimage site for back-to-nature Thoreau fans. The gift shop had t-shirts with various Thoreau quotations. I looked for my favorite--"that government is best which governs least"--but it was suspiciously missing. I suspect that such a view is at odds with the pro-state sentiments of most visitors, who probably believe that that government is best which governs most!

On to Concord--a very inspiring visit to the site where the first shots of the Revolution were fired. I can't help but be proud--patriotically proud!--of such men as gathered that day in defiance of an oppressive government. The legacy of individualism, libertarianism, and self-sufficiency represented by the patriots of the Revolution seems to be endangered today, as we give up more and more of our freedoms for more and more government regulations. Alas...

Below is the Old North Bridge, where the Minutemen and the Red Coats exchanged fire:

We found the old Sleepy Hollow Cemetery just at dusk and hurried to Author's Ridge. These pictures show why we were eager not to miss it:

Sunday concert

2009-10-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

Our Sunday evening entertainment -- a free faculty concert at The New England Conservatory. The performers were husband and wife Paul Biss and Miriam Fried - playing this wonderful eclectic program. We loved the Moskowski and need to learn more about him.
This beautiful old auditorium has great acoustics. And my new favorite sign adorns the ladies' room down the hallway.

Cambridge, the MFA, and the Gardner

2009-10-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

We drove across the Charles River on Thursday to see Cambridge: Harvard, MIT, and environs. We liked the inscription on this old academic building at Harvard--built, no doubt, when Harvard thought it could provide an answer to the question.

The Longfellow House in Cambridge.

Friday was art museum day: we divided our time between the Boston Museum of Fine Arts

and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

At the MFA we saw an amazing special exhibit of an ancient Egyptian tomb.

The MFA collection includes these beautiful paintings by the 17th century Dutch artist Pieter Claesz:

In preparation for the symposium in Florence on the Romantics and Dante we searched for images of Dante, and found this sculpture of Dante and Virgil:

On Cape Cod and New Bedford

2009-10-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

Two pleasant days on Cape Cod, staying in a friend's lovely condo on the water.

Monday we explored Falmouth and Wood's Hole and soaked up sea air and small town quaintness.

Tuesday we drove further afield on the Cape, to Sandwich, Orleans, Chatham - all charming. Sadly, we had to postpone Nantucket because so many things are already shut for winter.

Titcomb's Bookshop in Sandwich - I would love to work here! It is attached to the owner's 17the century home.

Keeper of the bookshop..

Deserted beach in Dennis.

Wednesday, before returning to Boston to pick Gloria up from the airport, we detoured to New Bedford.

Since listening to a recorded book of Moby Dick last year we have both been eager to learn more about whaling history. So we wandered the old streets of what was once America's premier whaling town, explored the present day working waterfront (mostly scallop boats),

and marveled at The Seaman's Bethel - the very chapel Melville attended and used as a model for the famous preaching scene in his novel. We want to return and spend plenty of time in the New Bedford Whaling Museum, the biggest and best in the country. The short history of this vanished industry and way of life is piognantly fascinating, filled with both great adventure and much tragedy on the seas, until electricity eliminated the market for sperm oil.

Ship's prow pulpit of Seaman's Bethel.

We were particularly moved by commemorative cenotaphs on the chapel walls:

Sunday snow and music

2009-10-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

We had planned to attend three concerts today but were deterred from the first at 10am by heavy rain. By the time the 2nd began at 2pm the rain had turned to sleet. So, armed with our essential GPS, an umbrella, and my new waterproof hat, we braved the storm to hear interesting Franck, light sweet Vaughan Williams, and gorgeous Beethoven.

Here's proof of the snow - taken by me from Gloria's back porch.

Program from concert #2 this evening...
Still snowing and blowing...

In this church...

Selections performed by the Lavazza Ensemble.
All wonderful - but the Brahms was spectacular.

On The Freedom Trail

2009-10-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

Lloyd spent Friday morning working on his writing projects and conference presentations which he will detail later. In the chilly afternoon we explored nearby neighborhoods, ending the evening seeing the Coen brothers' new film A Serious Man at the West Newton Cinema, which screens an endless variety of fascinatingly unusual titles. (I so wish we had been here when Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg was showing.) L says Serious Man was sad and discouraging, though I found it funny and reminiscent of some bits of my own past. Would anyone like to discuss?

Today we seized the sunshine and drove downtown to seek out The Freedom Trail, a walk through old Boston that commemorates the role of its patriots in the American Revolution. Herewith a few photos:

The oldest standing church in Boston, built in 1723, where the famous lantern was hung to alert the town that British troops were approaching.

Lovely bright interior with box seating which was rented by individual members.

The patriot Paul Revere.

The USS Constitution, aka Old Ironsides, the world's oldest commissioned war ship afloat.

One of 52 huge cannons aboard.

An exhibition by the Boston police brought the Freedom Trail up to the present, with modern sophisticated equipment like this impressive patrol boat.

Patrol puppy.

First day in Boston

2009-10-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

Our Southwest flight from Nashville ended in a late-night arrival in Boston, with myriad city lights greeting us as our plane descended out of the clouds. A bus took us to downtown, a subway/trolley to Chestnut Hill, and, finally, a taxi to Gloria's house. We were welcomed at midnight, in her absence, by little hand-written notes everywhere, pointing out fresh muffins waiting for us, an open bottle of wine to be finished, etc. What a delight!

We slept late this morning, going out for a late lox-and-bagel breakfast at a nearby Finagle a Bagel. Libby remembers this place from previous visits: fresh bagels, delectable lox, and a very cool mechanism, crafted from a tank tread and a rotary saw blade, that automatically slices the bagel and slings it down a conveyor belt to be toasted and turned into a sandwich. Here it is in action:

At Boston Common we paid our respects to the duck family of Make Way for Ducklings.

Of course, Boston Common reminds us also of the whole span of U.S. history, from the founding of the town in 1650 by devout Christians intent on religious and political freedom (make way for Puritans!) to this present-day cosmopolitan city, where the Puritan's surprising legacy has turned out to be freedom for everyone.

Bon Voyage

2009-10-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

L. is making the last of the veggies into a very carroty orange health drink to strengthen us for the day. He was on campus early this morning to deal with yet more issues concerning study abroad in Gryon for next summer, while I ran around packing vitamins and unplugging things. I think, hope, all details from last summer are finally settled. He is such a trooper for the endless paperwork required by academic life.

Our friend Ana agreed at the last minute to take us to the Nashville airport, thus soothing our moment of panic last night when Amanda called to say her Sam was in the emergency room and she couldn't be with us today. Happily, he is ok now and they are both resting from the ordeal.

If I can figure out how, I will attempt a post here from the iphone later, but any advice would be appreciated. Gloria is not part of the tech revolution - so we 'll be looking for the nearest B & N tomorrow to take advantage of the now free wifi.

Now one last check of the suitcases. Wouldn't want to take anything unnecessary, after all, dragging stuff pointlessly around the world. What about that extra sweater...

Beginnings

2009-10-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

Dear friends and relations,

After weeks of preparation we are nearly ready to begin our adventure. Creating this blog will provide a needed link to home and favorite people, while also affording both of us a handy means of responding to all that we do from now till February. It will be a (sorely needed) aide memoire, a window into our passions, plus a living photo album to display our aesthetic appreciation of this world.

Congratulate me for creating this blog, learning to use an iphone, and generally becoming more tech saavy than anyone would expect.

Gloria just called again to say that the plumbing in her house is suddenly non-functional. She says we are 'rugged' so shouldn't mind, but in case we do the repairman is scheduled for tomorrow morning before she flies to Chicago. Yes, she will be away our first week in Boston - leaving us house and car keys, a freezer full of food, and even $ to pay cab fare from Logan Airport to her home. Her neighborhood is confusing, addresses difficult to find, and cabbies speak little English. So, if we do find our way to Brookline St. and find the keys she has hidden, and if the plumbing is functional - all will be well.

On to more departure prep. Packing our two carry-on suitcases is nearly done. It's true, we each take only one for 3 1/2 months! Even though I can now read on the iphone, I am stressed about which books to include - all readers know this feeling. I'll let you know the final selection later.

Thank you in advance to our dear friend Amanda who will watch over our sweet little abode while we are gone. We leave it in good hands, confident that it will be here as always to welcome us when we return next year.