Brooke Buchan
Living in Urbino was my first international travel experience, and decisively an experience that made me sure it won’t be my last. Though it is a 15th century Renaissance city, living here was not like going back in time: it was like being in a new time. Each morning, Italian men and women chatted in groups in front of cafes and bars, indulging in espresso shots and morning pastries among staggering, stone-walled streets. Consistent and hearty “Ciaos!” and “Buongiornos!” rang out each day throughout the city. The Piazza Della Reppublica of Urbino became our classroom. Here, we trained our eyes to search for photographs of distinguishing moments and character. Here we stumbled through practicing our Italian to shop keepers and bar tenders. Here we purchased daily cappuccinos and cioccolato fondente gelato, and observed the city residents as they observed us. Each day I wandered the skinny, steep streets and fell quickly in love. It is humbling to live intimately among another culture, and rewarding to make connections and be understood across the bridge of differences. I hope to return some day and heave my way back up the stone hills to be reunited with this prideful and magical place. The only thing left to say is it was over too soon.
Via Raffaello is a relentlessly steep street in this hillside city named for the famed Renaissance artist who called it home as a child. Today a different artist resides here. Leonardo Cartolari doesn’t work with paint. Sugar and flour are his medium, his hands are his brush, and an oven is his canvas. With passion and a love for his craft, Cartolari rises before the sun to create his art.