le cose mie

le cose mie, originally uploaded by benjaminhyun.

4 months on paper is...well, still 4 months on paper.

The most glaring object in this collection is the ticket to the Cenacolo, also known as "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci.

Do you know difficult it is to get tickets to see this? It's days and days of calling a phone number that is constantly busy - and you have 30 seconds of very concise Italian to get your request across.

"Nome: Benjamin Hyun. Voglio andare al Cenacolo...lunedi alle 15:00."

"Si...ci sono biglietti? Grazie."

Then you take your ID and head in.

All of this hard work (most of it actually being able to get on the phone) kind of puts you in a sour mood - it already isn't worth it. But...Debbie and I headed out there anyway. I earned it, right?

You are placed in a vacuumed room - only 15 people at a time. Beeps and soft flashes of red lights quarantining the room and putting everybody in a quiet and anxious mood. Apparently, this is a big deal.

Beep. Flash. Whoosh.

The chamber opens and you are led into a small chapel. On one end, a beautiful wall painting of a landscape. On the other end, the Last Supper spanning about 30 feet in length and 10 feet in height. It's huge, amazing, and awe inspiring. THIS is it. This thing I've seen in books and movies - absolutely the most famous celebrity I've seen in real life.

Beep. Flash. Whoosh.

Another door opens and the group is ushered out of the chapel and into the daylight.

And that's that.