Today was my last full day in Rome. I did some last-minute souvenir shopping, taking to opportunity to visit a few favorite spots one last time as well. I walked across Ponte Sisto, my usual route into the Centro Storico, and into the riot of color and commotion that is Campo dei’ Fiore. I visited Piazza Navona too, and looped around south toward the river. Approaching Largo Argentina, I saw the streetcar pulling up, and decided to have one last tram ride back to Trastevere.
Earlier I had spoken to Gary, who is on his way to the ALA Annual Convention in Anaheim, California. I’m missing the conference luckily, since I’m still in Italy. Anyway, Gary was supposed to have an early-morning flight out of State College and into Cincinnati, and eventually get to California pretty early. Well, he told me that his plane had some mechanical problem and they had to wait. Wait they did, and eventually, the airline sent him by taxi to Harrisburg, nearly a hundred miles away. Through some convoluted series of flights he eventually got to California, about twelve hours late. I used to love flying, but it sucks these days because half your flights get cancelled or changed.
This evening I have a nice farewell dinner at Tony’s, a place I frequent because it’s close, good, relatively inexpensive, and the staff are great. I know all the people working there, and they gave me a great buon viaggio dinner: mixed antipasti, a big salad, and a Roman specialty: lamb grilled on oak. The folks working there all came and hugged me and gave me the two-cheek kiss, saying “Arrivederci Rossone!” They made me promise to come back and eat there again the next time I’m in Rome, a promise that will be easy to keep.
I took a last stroll around the neighborhood with a cone of gelato (limone, con panna), stopping to talk to proprietors of some of the shops I’ve gotten to know. The bakers across the street from me all waved goodbye from behind the counter, and the baristas at Good came out to hug me as well. Night was falling, and I returned to my apartment to pack and grab a little sleep before leaving for Ostia the next day.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Thursday 26 June: Concert in Trastevere
I’m nearing the end of my stay in Italy. As I was visiting some of my favorite spots for the last time, I saw an advertisement for a concert in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere. This is “my” church, not sixty seconds from my door. I thought it would be a great way to end my stay, so I went to the concert at 6 pm.
Performing was a visiting group from Germany, the Dresdner Kapellknaben, the Boys Choir of Dresden Cathedral. There were probably three dozen boys in the group. The youngest couldn’t have been more than 6 or 7, and the oldest bass maybe 16. I was excited to hear them sing in Santa Maria in Trastevere. This is an ancient church, one of the oldest in the world. It’s built on the site of a second or third century titulus or house church, from when Christianity was still an illegal sect. The original basilica was built in the fourth and fifth centuries, and was the first church in Rome, maybe in the world, to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was largely remodeled in the 1200s, when the amazing mosaics with scenes from the life of Mary were installed. There are later frescos and chapels as well, including some beautiful Renaissance and Baroque art. The nave is lined with columns re-used from ancient Roman temples and palaces. I love how they are of different sizes and materials, and have re-used, non-matching capitals and bases as well. This was the perfect setting for the choir.
The boys sang incredibly well. Their voices were clear and focused, but light and flexible at the same time. The choir would rise from a tiny, quiet pianissimo and to a thunder of contrapuntal voices that filled the church and echoed off the mosaic and marble of the walls. They also had outstanding intonation, which is quite an accomplishment for their age. The program covered sacred music from the late Middle Ages through the Renaissance and Baroque, and up to the twentieth century. Some of my favorite composers were represented, as well as a couple I was less familiar with. The choir sang works by Lassus, Gabrieli, Palestrina, Schütz, Scarlatti, Trexler, Bruckner, Mendelssohn, and Grieg. As I heard those pure, clear voices singing such great music in the ancient basilica, I forgot about the heat outside, and the packing I had to do, and the goodbyes to say. I’ve heard a lot of music while I’ve been in Italy, but I think this was my favorite. I couldn’t have asked for a better parting gift from Trastevere.
Performing was a visiting group from Germany, the Dresdner Kapellknaben, the Boys Choir of Dresden Cathedral. There were probably three dozen boys in the group. The youngest couldn’t have been more than 6 or 7, and the oldest bass maybe 16. I was excited to hear them sing in Santa Maria in Trastevere. This is an ancient church, one of the oldest in the world. It’s built on the site of a second or third century titulus or house church, from when Christianity was still an illegal sect. The original basilica was built in the fourth and fifth centuries, and was the first church in Rome, maybe in the world, to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was largely remodeled in the 1200s, when the amazing mosaics with scenes from the life of Mary were installed. There are later frescos and chapels as well, including some beautiful Renaissance and Baroque art. The nave is lined with columns re-used from ancient Roman temples and palaces. I love how they are of different sizes and materials, and have re-used, non-matching capitals and bases as well. This was the perfect setting for the choir.
The boys sang incredibly well. Their voices were clear and focused, but light and flexible at the same time. The choir would rise from a tiny, quiet pianissimo and to a thunder of contrapuntal voices that filled the church and echoed off the mosaic and marble of the walls. They also had outstanding intonation, which is quite an accomplishment for their age. The program covered sacred music from the late Middle Ages through the Renaissance and Baroque, and up to the twentieth century. Some of my favorite composers were represented, as well as a couple I was less familiar with. The choir sang works by Lassus, Gabrieli, Palestrina, Schütz, Scarlatti, Trexler, Bruckner, Mendelssohn, and Grieg. As I heard those pure, clear voices singing such great music in the ancient basilica, I forgot about the heat outside, and the packing I had to do, and the goodbyes to say. I’ve heard a lot of music while I’ve been in Italy, but I think this was my favorite. I couldn’t have asked for a better parting gift from Trastevere.
Wednesday 25 June: A brief discourse on gelato
One of the most pleasant ways to deal with summer heat in Italy is to eat gelato. Gelato is usually translated as “ice cream,” although technically it’s ice milk, since it is made with whole milk rather than cream. It often has egg in it as an emulsifier, and is less dense than American ice cream. In Italy gelato is taken very seriously, and only the highest quality ingredients are used. It’s made fresh daily, and when you walk past a gelateria, you see it heaped in bins within glass-fronted counters. It is much better than most American ice cream, better even than la glace in France. And although I’ve had really good gelato in Florence and Venice, the best is in Rome.
Gelato comes in lots of flavors. The vanilla and chocolate are standards, but there are lots of variations. Cioccolato fondente is dark chocolate, very deep and intense, and one of my favorites. Bacio, named for the “kiss” candy you see all over Italy, is chocolate and hazelnut. And Gary’s favorite, stracciatella, has hot melted chocolate drizzled over the gelato and then stirred into it. The strings of chocolate harden and break up, and it’s sort of like chocolate chip, only better. There are tons of fruit flavors: fragole (strawberry), arancia (orange), ananas (pineapple), mela (apple), pera (pear), pesca (peach), and frutti di bosco (“fruit of the woods” meaning blackberry and raspberry) are all common. The best fruit flavor for a hot day is limone, which has an incredibly refreshing, almost astringent lemon flavor. You can also find fico (fig) and albicocca (apricot) sometimes. Nut flavors are also popular, including pistacchio, mandorla (almond), and nocciola (hazelnut). There are several subtle but delicious cream flavors, too. These include fiore di latte (“flower of milk,” a very delicate and delicious taste), crema (not cream, but egg custard), zabaione (custard with Marsala wine, quite rich and tasty), and caffè (coffee). You can also find some more unusual flavors too. Cannella (cinnamon) gelato is really good if you’re lucky enough to encounter it. Zuppa inglese (“English soup”) is named after the British dessert “trifle,” and has pieces of cookie or cake in it. Liquirizia is licorice, and maybe an acquired taste.
You can get gelato in cones or cups of many sizes. You can also have it on a sweet roll: the gelateria will have a bin of brioches wrapped in cellophane. They’ll split it for you and heap on the gelato. Italians think you’re crazy if you only order one flavor. I’ve seen people get as many as ten on one cone!
And remember the panna! Panna is cream, as in whipped cream. The best places, meaning the ones I go to, whip the cream by hand until it’s really stiff, and keep it in a big steel bowl on ice. Whether you have a cone or a cup, just say you want yours “con panna” and they’ll slap a big glob of whipped cream on top. The best thing is, panna is always free!
Although some desserts, like frozen cakes, may include gelato as an ingredient, gelato is seldom eaten as a dessert by Italians. Instead, it’s the perfect snack for the late afternoon or early evening stroll. Before and after dinner, the streets of Rome are filled with boys and girls, workers in uniforms, men and women in Prada, tourists, police, nuns, and priests walking with their friends, laughing and talking and eating gelato. When it’s hot out, there’s nothing better than a cono piccolo di limone, con panna!
Gelato comes in lots of flavors. The vanilla and chocolate are standards, but there are lots of variations. Cioccolato fondente is dark chocolate, very deep and intense, and one of my favorites. Bacio, named for the “kiss” candy you see all over Italy, is chocolate and hazelnut. And Gary’s favorite, stracciatella, has hot melted chocolate drizzled over the gelato and then stirred into it. The strings of chocolate harden and break up, and it’s sort of like chocolate chip, only better. There are tons of fruit flavors: fragole (strawberry), arancia (orange), ananas (pineapple), mela (apple), pera (pear), pesca (peach), and frutti di bosco (“fruit of the woods” meaning blackberry and raspberry) are all common. The best fruit flavor for a hot day is limone, which has an incredibly refreshing, almost astringent lemon flavor. You can also find fico (fig) and albicocca (apricot) sometimes. Nut flavors are also popular, including pistacchio, mandorla (almond), and nocciola (hazelnut). There are several subtle but delicious cream flavors, too. These include fiore di latte (“flower of milk,” a very delicate and delicious taste), crema (not cream, but egg custard), zabaione (custard with Marsala wine, quite rich and tasty), and caffè (coffee). You can also find some more unusual flavors too. Cannella (cinnamon) gelato is really good if you’re lucky enough to encounter it. Zuppa inglese (“English soup”) is named after the British dessert “trifle,” and has pieces of cookie or cake in it. Liquirizia is licorice, and maybe an acquired taste.
You can get gelato in cones or cups of many sizes. You can also have it on a sweet roll: the gelateria will have a bin of brioches wrapped in cellophane. They’ll split it for you and heap on the gelato. Italians think you’re crazy if you only order one flavor. I’ve seen people get as many as ten on one cone!
And remember the panna! Panna is cream, as in whipped cream. The best places, meaning the ones I go to, whip the cream by hand until it’s really stiff, and keep it in a big steel bowl on ice. Whether you have a cone or a cup, just say you want yours “con panna” and they’ll slap a big glob of whipped cream on top. The best thing is, panna is always free!
Although some desserts, like frozen cakes, may include gelato as an ingredient, gelato is seldom eaten as a dessert by Italians. Instead, it’s the perfect snack for the late afternoon or early evening stroll. Before and after dinner, the streets of Rome are filled with boys and girls, workers in uniforms, men and women in Prada, tourists, police, nuns, and priests walking with their friends, laughing and talking and eating gelato. When it’s hot out, there’s nothing better than a cono piccolo di limone, con panna!
Tuesday 24 June: Sleep, or the lack thereof
I have never had normal sleep patterns, and in Italy, they’ve only gotten worse. I remember my first night here, when I heard the incessant din of Trastevere continue until after 3 am. My first thought was that I was back on the north side of Youngstown, Ohio, where I went to college. Of course, I was a quarter century younger then, too. I quickly decided that I wouldn’t even try to sleep through it, but just go to bed after it became quiet. This worked, more or less.
As the weather became increasingly hot, I tried to do what the locals do and siesta in the hottest part of the day. The problem was that my apartment lacks even a fan, much less air conditioning, and is just too hot to nap then. So what I’ve been doing is trying to schedule my time so I’m in a comparatively cool place in the afternoon: library, museum, air conditioned caffè, etc. Then, when the late afternoon breezes come through my apartment and the shops start opening, I sometimes take a nap for an hour or so, then get up for dinner. I write during the night while Trastevere parties, since the noise doesn’t bother me. I catch another two or three hours of sleep between 3:30 and 7 am or so.
This has evolved into just sleeping whenever it’s cool enough, quiet enough, and I’m tired enough. These three coincide occasionally, but not necessarily predictably. Since I’m living along and have a little kitchen, it doesn’t really matter when I get up or go to bed. I doubt that I ever get more than five hours of sleep in any twenty-four hour period, though. I don’t even think that I’ll suffer any jet lag when I return to the US, because I don’t have a normal sleep pattern to get disrupted!
As the weather became increasingly hot, I tried to do what the locals do and siesta in the hottest part of the day. The problem was that my apartment lacks even a fan, much less air conditioning, and is just too hot to nap then. So what I’ve been doing is trying to schedule my time so I’m in a comparatively cool place in the afternoon: library, museum, air conditioned caffè, etc. Then, when the late afternoon breezes come through my apartment and the shops start opening, I sometimes take a nap for an hour or so, then get up for dinner. I write during the night while Trastevere parties, since the noise doesn’t bother me. I catch another two or three hours of sleep between 3:30 and 7 am or so.
This has evolved into just sleeping whenever it’s cool enough, quiet enough, and I’m tired enough. These three coincide occasionally, but not necessarily predictably. Since I’m living along and have a little kitchen, it doesn’t really matter when I get up or go to bed. I doubt that I ever get more than five hours of sleep in any twenty-four hour period, though. I don’t even think that I’ll suffer any jet lag when I return to the US, because I don’t have a normal sleep pattern to get disrupted!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Monday 23 June: Top ten traffic blunders of Italy
On my way to a museum today, a guy riding a Vespa cut off my bus. The scooter guy was talking on his cell phone while he did it. This got me thinking of the many almost-accidents that I’ve witnessed in Italy. Here’s my list of the top ten traffic blunders I’ve seen:
1. A scooter cutting off a bus (see above).
2. Two chubby boys of about 11 or 12 careening on a scooter through the crowded streets of central Naples against traffic (the legal age in Italy for scooters is 16).
3. Taxi driving the wrong way down the tram tracks as a tram approached from the opposite direction (this was on my way from the airport to Rome; the driver assured me he’d get off the tracks before we collided).
4. Taxi driver leaving the road and driving between the outdoor tables of a caffè (with Gary in Sorrento).
5. Woman driving a scooter in downtown Rome putting on mascara with one hand (in Piazza Venezia).
6. Two pedal cars of teenage boys chasing each other down a steep hill, taking a turn on two wheel, and heading into two-way traffic (street leading from Villa Borghese to Piazza del Popolo; see my 26 April post).
7. Bus squeezing through a street so narrow and crowded that people eating at a restaurant’s outdoor tables had to get up and move their table over (in Trastevere).
8. Several people ignoring numerous signs and barriers to keep off the tracks and jumping down about three feet to train tracks, crossing them while oncoming trains had the green light to approach, then climbing back out on the other side, because they didn’t want to use the underground tunnel (Stazione Trastevere).
9. Man riding against traffic on a bicycle with no chain or brakes by pushing with his feet (Via dei Fori Imperiali, Rome).
10. Four people on a single-person scooter: the driver, a little boy standing in front of him holding the handlebar, a woman riding behind the driver, and an infant in the crook of the woman’s elbow, dangling out over the oncoming traffic (Spaccanapoli, downtown Naples).
1. A scooter cutting off a bus (see above).
2. Two chubby boys of about 11 or 12 careening on a scooter through the crowded streets of central Naples against traffic (the legal age in Italy for scooters is 16).
3. Taxi driving the wrong way down the tram tracks as a tram approached from the opposite direction (this was on my way from the airport to Rome; the driver assured me he’d get off the tracks before we collided).
4. Taxi driver leaving the road and driving between the outdoor tables of a caffè (with Gary in Sorrento).
5. Woman driving a scooter in downtown Rome putting on mascara with one hand (in Piazza Venezia).
6. Two pedal cars of teenage boys chasing each other down a steep hill, taking a turn on two wheel, and heading into two-way traffic (street leading from Villa Borghese to Piazza del Popolo; see my 26 April post).
7. Bus squeezing through a street so narrow and crowded that people eating at a restaurant’s outdoor tables had to get up and move their table over (in Trastevere).
8. Several people ignoring numerous signs and barriers to keep off the tracks and jumping down about three feet to train tracks, crossing them while oncoming trains had the green light to approach, then climbing back out on the other side, because they didn’t want to use the underground tunnel (Stazione Trastevere).
9. Man riding against traffic on a bicycle with no chain or brakes by pushing with his feet (Via dei Fori Imperiali, Rome).
10. Four people on a single-person scooter: the driver, a little boy standing in front of him holding the handlebar, a woman riding behind the driver, and an infant in the crook of the woman’s elbow, dangling out over the oncoming traffic (Spaccanapoli, downtown Naples).
Sunday 22 June: Melting
It rained a little last night. Not enough to cool things off, but enough to make it really muggy today. I bought a gelato around the corner, and as soon as I stepped out of the shop and into the sun, it started running down my arm. I know how it feels; I think that I’m melting too.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Saturday 21 June: Summer sun and Michelangelo
Today is the first day of summer, although in southern Italy, the heat has been on for a while. It’s almost three months since I came to Rome. I remember walking along the Tiber my first day, when the tiny leaves on the sycamores were just a bright yellow-green smudge along the branches. Now the trees are heavy with dark green foliage that hides most of the limbs. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky today, and the sunlight is everywhere. In Rome, the light is not just something that shines on the city. It has a palpable presence like rain or snow, and sometimes I feel like I could almost swim through it.
When they restored and cleaned Michelangelo’s frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the 80s and 90s, some people were shocked (and even skeptical) at the bright, vivid colors that were hidden under a half millennium of incense and candle smoke. I’m not surprised, though. These are the colors of Italy in the sunlight. Greens and blues glow, yellows and reds shine, and even white burns with an almost incandescent brilliance. Michelangelo knew what he was doing, and I think he got his inspiration every day that he walked outside into the blazing Roman sun.
When they restored and cleaned Michelangelo’s frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the 80s and 90s, some people were shocked (and even skeptical) at the bright, vivid colors that were hidden under a half millennium of incense and candle smoke. I’m not surprised, though. These are the colors of Italy in the sunlight. Greens and blues glow, yellows and reds shine, and even white burns with an almost incandescent brilliance. Michelangelo knew what he was doing, and I think he got his inspiration every day that he walked outside into the blazing Roman sun.
Friday 20 June: Laundry and iconography
I really needed to do laundry. With the heat, I am going through shirts like crazy, not to mention socks and boxers. Thinking about the heat also had me on a line of research, and I needed to check some references. My question was, which should I do in the relative cool of the morning, and which in the afternoon? Finally, the thought of sitting in the un-air-conditioned laundromat at 3 pm while it was 90 outside (temperatures are the only thing I can’t do in metric) was unbearable, so I got up early and hit the place when it opened at 7:30. I struck up a conversation with the guy who works the place, whom I’ve come to know a little bit. He’s from India, and although Italian is probably about his fifth language, his is excellent, way better than mine. We usually speak in English. He told me a funny story about some American college students who came in the other day to wash their clothes. It seems that one guy took his entire backpack full of clothing, and without emptying it, threw the whole thing into their biggest washer. When it was done, he threw it into a drier, which he set for about two hours. After the drier stopped, the guy just took out his pack and left. Apparently the laundry attendant was either too shocked or too amused to intervene with advice. Or maybe this guy had a method the rest of us just haven’t tried.
I spent the afternoon on a line of research in honor of the blazing sun outside. Apollo, god of light, was identified with the Greek Helios and Roman Sol, the sun god, by the age of Augustus. Apollo was also Augustus’ personal patron. There is a lot of solar imagery in both the art and the literature of the age of Augustus, and this extends to the topography of the Augustan city. Temples and other monuments reveal this solar iconography, which is most blatantly displayed in the obelisks that the emperor brought back from Egypt to adorn Rome. For thousands of years before the Romans, obelisks had been solar symbols in Egypt, and Augustus incorporated them into his programmatic topography. The most conspicuous one is the huge obelisk that served as the gnomon, or pointer, of the immense sundial laid out in a huge marble pavement in the Campus Martius. The inscription on the base reads that it commemorates Egypt being brought into the Roman Empire, and is dedicated to Sol, the sun god. There are a lot of primary sources, including historical and literary texts, inscriptions, and artwork, that can be linked to this, as well as an enormous amount of secondary literature. This should keep me busy for a while.
I spent the afternoon on a line of research in honor of the blazing sun outside. Apollo, god of light, was identified with the Greek Helios and Roman Sol, the sun god, by the age of Augustus. Apollo was also Augustus’ personal patron. There is a lot of solar imagery in both the art and the literature of the age of Augustus, and this extends to the topography of the Augustan city. Temples and other monuments reveal this solar iconography, which is most blatantly displayed in the obelisks that the emperor brought back from Egypt to adorn Rome. For thousands of years before the Romans, obelisks had been solar symbols in Egypt, and Augustus incorporated them into his programmatic topography. The most conspicuous one is the huge obelisk that served as the gnomon, or pointer, of the immense sundial laid out in a huge marble pavement in the Campus Martius. The inscription on the base reads that it commemorates Egypt being brought into the Roman Empire, and is dedicated to Sol, the sun god. There are a lot of primary sources, including historical and literary texts, inscriptions, and artwork, that can be linked to this, as well as an enormous amount of secondary literature. This should keep me busy for a while.
Thursday 19 June: Hot hot hot hot hot
I’m not even saying anything else about today. I did get some work done, though.
Wednesday 18 June: Italy may be a center of fashion, but…
As I was on my way to some ruins today, I started thinking about how well many Italians dress. In Rome, they have a saying: fare una bella figura. You can translate this as “cut a fine figure,” “make a good impression” or even just “look good.” It starts with being appropriately dressed, but goes way beyond that. It means to live and move and act gracefully and decently in society. The way you speak and act is even more important than your clothes. Otherwise I’d be out of luck, since I generally go around in polo and cargo shorts (except the Vatican, where you have to wear long pants). Even I put on a jacket and tie to speak with library and museum administrators. You want to look sharp, but not be so ostentatious that you draw attention to yourself. Social graces aside, fare una bella figura does start with appearance, although it doesn’t end there.
Fashion is obviously a big industry in Italy. Gucci, Versace, Armani, Fendi, and the rest are everywhere. Many Italians dress extremely well, even if they’re just running to the store. And yet, I have seen some incredible fashion tragedies, some so heinous that they were laughable. Here is my list of the top ten fashion don’ts I’ve seen in Italy:
1. Age- and shape-inappropriate animal print stretch stirrup pants (well documented by Gary on Flickr; check out his photos from Naples).
2. Purple and orange jeans on old men (both colors in the same pair—plain orange jeans are very popular for men of all ages here).
3. Hats, vests, and other accessories made of aluminum foil (and not worn by small children or the homeless).
4. Multiple facial piercings connected by chains festooned with Swarovski crystals (a man in his 60s).
5. Habited nuns with Hello Kitty accessories (near the Lateran!).
6. Suspenders worn over a wife beater, with no other shirt (this may be a retro look; maybe the 1930’s are coming back into style).
7. Two inch long toenails worn with sandals (this was a friar, so maybe it’s part of a vow).
8. Sequined eyebrows not worn to a costume party or drag show (at a bakery in the middle of the afternoon).
9. Black lace body stocking under a black and red crushed velvet bikini (at the laundromat, so maybe everything else she had was dirty).
10. The single worst fashion mistake of Italy: the return of the mullet (mostly boys and men of all ages; in the most egregious cases, it’s worn with a mohawk or afro, or is dyed a different color from the rest of the hair).
Fashion is obviously a big industry in Italy. Gucci, Versace, Armani, Fendi, and the rest are everywhere. Many Italians dress extremely well, even if they’re just running to the store. And yet, I have seen some incredible fashion tragedies, some so heinous that they were laughable. Here is my list of the top ten fashion don’ts I’ve seen in Italy:
1. Age- and shape-inappropriate animal print stretch stirrup pants (well documented by Gary on Flickr; check out his photos from Naples).
2. Purple and orange jeans on old men (both colors in the same pair—plain orange jeans are very popular for men of all ages here).
3. Hats, vests, and other accessories made of aluminum foil (and not worn by small children or the homeless).
4. Multiple facial piercings connected by chains festooned with Swarovski crystals (a man in his 60s).
5. Habited nuns with Hello Kitty accessories (near the Lateran!).
6. Suspenders worn over a wife beater, with no other shirt (this may be a retro look; maybe the 1930’s are coming back into style).
7. Two inch long toenails worn with sandals (this was a friar, so maybe it’s part of a vow).
8. Sequined eyebrows not worn to a costume party or drag show (at a bakery in the middle of the afternoon).
9. Black lace body stocking under a black and red crushed velvet bikini (at the laundromat, so maybe everything else she had was dirty).
10. The single worst fashion mistake of Italy: the return of the mullet (mostly boys and men of all ages; in the most egregious cases, it’s worn with a mohawk or afro, or is dyed a different color from the rest of the hair).
Tuesday 17 June: Roman summer
I know that the solstice is a few days away, but summer is definitely here. There’s a reason I wanted to come to Italy in the spring: the heat. If you know me, you know that I don’t do heat very well. At 60 (Fahrenheit) I am comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt. At 70, I want to go around in my boxers. At 80, I do go around in my boxers (well, not at work). And over that, I melt. It’s in the upper 80s at 11 am these days, and even the Romans have stopped wearing coats. Some of them still have on sweaters, though. I get hot just looking at them.
There is not one cloud in the sky, which by mid-day is no longer blue, but almost white. The sun is a huge, blazing disk of gold and white fire. It drenches the landscape with a storm of clear light, throwing the details of nature and architecture into stark clarity. Luckily many of the streets are narrow and surrounded by high buildings, and remain in the shade most of the time. When you walk into an open piazza, it’s like stepping into an oven. By mid-afternoon marble, bronze and steel are too hot to touch, and nearly everyone goes inside for siesta. This does not do me much good, since I don’t even have a fan, much less air conditioning. Neighbors told me, open your windows at night and close the cool in during the day. I tried it once, only to come home at 2 pm to a furnace that had melted a chocolate bar onto the table. The windows stay open all the time. I try to plan my afternoon to be in someplace air conditioned: a library, museum, or archive. The churches aren’t air conditioned usually, but marble and travertine keep them cool on the inside, and if I’m done with research for the day, I’ll wander into churches to see the stray Caravaggio or Raphael or Bernini.
Later in the afternoon, between 4 and 5 (or 1600 and 1700, as they say here), the breeze starts. A wind blows down the streets and alleys, and my side windows catch it and send it through the apartment and out the front window. If I’m home, I take a quick cold shower, and just stand in the breeze drip-drying. The evenings and nights cool some, but it’s still over 80. Closing the windows isn’t an option, even to close out the din of Trastevere at night. I’ll take the racket over the heat any day. The coolest and quietest part of the day is between 4 and 7 am, after the clubs have closed but before the street cleaners start their hazmat work. I should catch some much-needed sleep while it’s comfortable, but sometimes it’s just too pleasant not to enjoy, so I’ll get up for a while, sit at my window, and watch the sleeping street until the first pink glow in the sky tells me that the sun is back to bake Rome for another day.
There is not one cloud in the sky, which by mid-day is no longer blue, but almost white. The sun is a huge, blazing disk of gold and white fire. It drenches the landscape with a storm of clear light, throwing the details of nature and architecture into stark clarity. Luckily many of the streets are narrow and surrounded by high buildings, and remain in the shade most of the time. When you walk into an open piazza, it’s like stepping into an oven. By mid-afternoon marble, bronze and steel are too hot to touch, and nearly everyone goes inside for siesta. This does not do me much good, since I don’t even have a fan, much less air conditioning. Neighbors told me, open your windows at night and close the cool in during the day. I tried it once, only to come home at 2 pm to a furnace that had melted a chocolate bar onto the table. The windows stay open all the time. I try to plan my afternoon to be in someplace air conditioned: a library, museum, or archive. The churches aren’t air conditioned usually, but marble and travertine keep them cool on the inside, and if I’m done with research for the day, I’ll wander into churches to see the stray Caravaggio or Raphael or Bernini.
Later in the afternoon, between 4 and 5 (or 1600 and 1700, as they say here), the breeze starts. A wind blows down the streets and alleys, and my side windows catch it and send it through the apartment and out the front window. If I’m home, I take a quick cold shower, and just stand in the breeze drip-drying. The evenings and nights cool some, but it’s still over 80. Closing the windows isn’t an option, even to close out the din of Trastevere at night. I’ll take the racket over the heat any day. The coolest and quietest part of the day is between 4 and 7 am, after the clubs have closed but before the street cleaners start their hazmat work. I should catch some much-needed sleep while it’s comfortable, but sometimes it’s just too pleasant not to enjoy, so I’ll get up for a while, sit at my window, and watch the sleeping street until the first pink glow in the sky tells me that the sun is back to bake Rome for another day.
Monday 16 June: I cani di Trastevere
My neighborhood is filled with dogs. Not stray, but pets. All day long you see folks walking their canine buddies through the cobbled maze of Trastevere. The law requires them to have a leash, but apparently not that the leash actually be attached. Usually, dogs just walk alongside their humans, and generally follow them into stores, restaurants, and caffès (but not churches). In the US, you’d get thrown out in a hurry, but here nobody seems to mind. I certainly don’t! Often, when I’m at Good having a caffè doppio and checking my email, someone’s puppy will come up and sniff around. They’re usually clean and well groomed, and their humans don’t mind stopping for a minute to let you pet and play with them. I was at one of my favorite pizzerias once, Cave Canem (beware the dog in Latin!), and a family had a huge German shepherd with them. He sat under their outside table, very well behaved, until a woman at another table dropped a piece of food. The dog turned and sniffed and whined, but didn’t get up until the man asked the woman who dropped it if it was okay for the dog to eat it. She said yes, the man spoke to the dog, and the poor pooch jumped up so eagerly that he turned the table over, pizzas, salads, wine glasses, and all! I nearly choked laughing (I know, schadenfreude!).
There are a few large dogs, but most are smaller breeds. Dachshunds are especially popular. One guy in the neighborhood drives around on his scooter and his dachshund follows him on foot. The first time I saw him sprinting over the cobblestones like a long, low bolt of dark red lightning, ears streaming behind him, I couldn’t even tell what it was. Despite the crazy traffic here, I’ve never seen a dog come close to being hit (I hope the dachshund doesn’t try it in Piazza Venezia!). The only problem with dogs here is nobody makes any effort to clean up after them. They relieve themselves anywhere they please, with the exception of churches and ancient Roman monuments. Another reason to keep your eye on the cobbles!
There are a few large dogs, but most are smaller breeds. Dachshunds are especially popular. One guy in the neighborhood drives around on his scooter and his dachshund follows him on foot. The first time I saw him sprinting over the cobblestones like a long, low bolt of dark red lightning, ears streaming behind him, I couldn’t even tell what it was. Despite the crazy traffic here, I’ve never seen a dog come close to being hit (I hope the dachshund doesn’t try it in Piazza Venezia!). The only problem with dogs here is nobody makes any effort to clean up after them. They relieve themselves anywhere they please, with the exception of churches and ancient Roman monuments. Another reason to keep your eye on the cobbles!
Sunday 15 June: Muggy!
A hot and rainy day. I didn’t do much of anything today except sweat. I know that’s not very exciting, but every day can’t be an adventure!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Saturday 14 June: A visit from Penn State friends
It was Saturday, and I had visitors coming! Two friends from the Libraries at Penn State, Jennifer and Sylvia, were on vacation in Europe. They had been to Dublin and Amsterdam, and were now kicking around Italy. Their flight back to the US was Sunday morning out of Fiumicino, so they were coming down to Rome from Tuscany for their last night. They knew that I was in Rome, and had emailed to see if I’d take them around town for one-afternoon whirlwind mini-tour. I was excited to have guests again, so I caught the bus to Termini and met their train shortly after noon. They were staying with someone they had never met in person: Emma, the friend of a friend who had stayed once in Sylvia’s house. By coincidence, I had the same mutual friend (my buddy B) and I had corresponded last year with Emma when I was looking for a room in Rome. In fact, it was Emma who directed me to the web site that led me to my apartment. It really is a small world.
It was great seeing familiar faces again! And the first thing I made Jen and Sylvia do was break the law. It wasn’t intentional: we had money for the bus, and some of the buses on the route we were taking to Emma’s place had ticket machines on board. When we got on the bus, though, there was no machine, and the bus started rolling. I thought, oh well, with my luck, this will be the first time in nearly two decades I’ve been on a Roman bus and they checked for tickets. However, Fortune smiled on us, and we got off the bus without any trouble. We went up a couple blocks and found Emma’s apartment. She has a fantastic place on the upper floors of a building near the Campo dei’ Fiore. Among other things, Emma is an artist, and her colorful canvases and other works decorated the walls of her beautiful and airy apartment. Best of all, she has not one, but two rooftop terraces, one about the other. Amazing views of the rooftops of the Centro Storico! Sylvia and Jennifer got settled in, and then we sat down for a drink with Emma. She’s Australian by birth, and a long-time resident of Europe and Italy. It’s always fascinating to discuss world affairs with people other than Americans, especially when they’re as interesting and well-informed as Emma. She had some work to do, and we agreed to meet her back at the apartment in the evening for dinner. Jenny and Sylvia had also graciously brought along gifts for both Emma and me. I got a box of extremely savory waffle cookies from Amsterdam, and a collection of samples of Irish whiskey from Dublin. I was pretty sure I could put both to good use.
Since we were on foot and only had a few hours, Jen and Sylvia and I decided to hit a few of the most famous and impressive sights in Rome. We walked up to the huge, hideous Victor Emanuel Monument and around it past Trajan’s Markets and strolled along the Forum Romanum. The afternoon sun lit up the marble of the ruins, adrift with wild flowers. The poppies of the spring were now joined by wild borage, and the blue and red blossoms blazed against the stone in the golden light. We walked the length of the Forum and approached the Colosseum. You can’t go to Rome and not see the Colosseum! The crowds were just starting to thin out, and we walked all the way around the huge amphitheater. In need of a snack, we crossed the street and headed in a couple of blocks (you never eat right across from a major monument; the prices are too high). The snack ended up being salad, pizza, and the local white wine Frascati. I had also told Jennifer and Sylvia about my favorite Roman junk food, suppli, balls of mozzarella surrounded by rice and tomato, and deep fried. They were intrigued, so we had suppli as well. Sylvia and Jennifer agreed that they are addictive!
From the caffè, we headed back along the Via dei Fori Imperiali for a look at the imperial forums and Trajan’s Market and column. Heading back into the Centro Storico, I led Sylvia and Jen to the Trevi Fountain. They each made a successful coin toss into the fountain, so they’ll be returning to the Eternal City one day, hopefully for a longer visit! Trevi was filled with visitors as always, and we wove our way through them and out into the maze of medieval alleys in central Rome. Crossing over to the Piazza della Rotunda, we made a quick stop into the Pantheon. The cool, vast interior was filled with late afternoon light from the single opening, thirty feet across, in the top of the dome. Our walk back to Emma’s place took us across Piazza Navona, so Jennifer and Sylvia were able to experience one of Rome’s favorite gathering places.
Back at Emma’s apartment, the three of us joined Emma and a Roman friend of hers for a glass of wine on her amazing rooftop terrace. The sun was getting low, and a nice breeze cooled us as we sat amid the plants, looked over the rooftops, and discussed EU politics and the US election. I love hearing non-American perspectives on these topics! We finally left for dinner at about 9 pm, which is normal for Romans. Emma took us to a great place nearby, where we had a huge variety of antipasti, including breads and grilled vegetables. The food was excellent, and the conversation better. It was great, having dinner with two friends from back home, plus a new friend whom I had previously known only virtually. We all had a blast, as well as some outstanding food and great wine. After dinner, Emma led us to her favorite gelateria for ice cream. It was a perfect way to finish a great day! Being late, I left Jennifer and Sylvia in Emma’s expert care, walked through the Campo dei’ Fiore and across Ponte Sisto, and home to Trastevere, where the evening was just starting up.
This had been a great day! I had a fantastic time showing off the key points of my favorite city to Sylvia and Jennifer, and I think they had fun, too. It was nice to have visitors from home again.
It was great seeing familiar faces again! And the first thing I made Jen and Sylvia do was break the law. It wasn’t intentional: we had money for the bus, and some of the buses on the route we were taking to Emma’s place had ticket machines on board. When we got on the bus, though, there was no machine, and the bus started rolling. I thought, oh well, with my luck, this will be the first time in nearly two decades I’ve been on a Roman bus and they checked for tickets. However, Fortune smiled on us, and we got off the bus without any trouble. We went up a couple blocks and found Emma’s apartment. She has a fantastic place on the upper floors of a building near the Campo dei’ Fiore. Among other things, Emma is an artist, and her colorful canvases and other works decorated the walls of her beautiful and airy apartment. Best of all, she has not one, but two rooftop terraces, one about the other. Amazing views of the rooftops of the Centro Storico! Sylvia and Jennifer got settled in, and then we sat down for a drink with Emma. She’s Australian by birth, and a long-time resident of Europe and Italy. It’s always fascinating to discuss world affairs with people other than Americans, especially when they’re as interesting and well-informed as Emma. She had some work to do, and we agreed to meet her back at the apartment in the evening for dinner. Jenny and Sylvia had also graciously brought along gifts for both Emma and me. I got a box of extremely savory waffle cookies from Amsterdam, and a collection of samples of Irish whiskey from Dublin. I was pretty sure I could put both to good use.
Since we were on foot and only had a few hours, Jen and Sylvia and I decided to hit a few of the most famous and impressive sights in Rome. We walked up to the huge, hideous Victor Emanuel Monument and around it past Trajan’s Markets and strolled along the Forum Romanum. The afternoon sun lit up the marble of the ruins, adrift with wild flowers. The poppies of the spring were now joined by wild borage, and the blue and red blossoms blazed against the stone in the golden light. We walked the length of the Forum and approached the Colosseum. You can’t go to Rome and not see the Colosseum! The crowds were just starting to thin out, and we walked all the way around the huge amphitheater. In need of a snack, we crossed the street and headed in a couple of blocks (you never eat right across from a major monument; the prices are too high). The snack ended up being salad, pizza, and the local white wine Frascati. I had also told Jennifer and Sylvia about my favorite Roman junk food, suppli, balls of mozzarella surrounded by rice and tomato, and deep fried. They were intrigued, so we had suppli as well. Sylvia and Jennifer agreed that they are addictive!
From the caffè, we headed back along the Via dei Fori Imperiali for a look at the imperial forums and Trajan’s Market and column. Heading back into the Centro Storico, I led Sylvia and Jen to the Trevi Fountain. They each made a successful coin toss into the fountain, so they’ll be returning to the Eternal City one day, hopefully for a longer visit! Trevi was filled with visitors as always, and we wove our way through them and out into the maze of medieval alleys in central Rome. Crossing over to the Piazza della Rotunda, we made a quick stop into the Pantheon. The cool, vast interior was filled with late afternoon light from the single opening, thirty feet across, in the top of the dome. Our walk back to Emma’s place took us across Piazza Navona, so Jennifer and Sylvia were able to experience one of Rome’s favorite gathering places.
Back at Emma’s apartment, the three of us joined Emma and a Roman friend of hers for a glass of wine on her amazing rooftop terrace. The sun was getting low, and a nice breeze cooled us as we sat amid the plants, looked over the rooftops, and discussed EU politics and the US election. I love hearing non-American perspectives on these topics! We finally left for dinner at about 9 pm, which is normal for Romans. Emma took us to a great place nearby, where we had a huge variety of antipasti, including breads and grilled vegetables. The food was excellent, and the conversation better. It was great, having dinner with two friends from back home, plus a new friend whom I had previously known only virtually. We all had a blast, as well as some outstanding food and great wine. After dinner, Emma led us to her favorite gelateria for ice cream. It was a perfect way to finish a great day! Being late, I left Jennifer and Sylvia in Emma’s expert care, walked through the Campo dei’ Fiore and across Ponte Sisto, and home to Trastevere, where the evening was just starting up.
This had been a great day! I had a fantastic time showing off the key points of my favorite city to Sylvia and Jennifer, and I think they had fun, too. It was nice to have visitors from home again.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Friday 13 June: Museums and inscriptions
Today I hit some museums again. The National Museum of Rome has five branches, and the two I am most interested in for my research are the Palazzo Massimo, which houses one of the world’s greatest collections of classical sculpture, and the Terme di Diocleziano, built into the ruins of the Baths of Diocletian, with an incredible epigraphic collection. I’ve been to both of these before, but wanted to return to check some things that had come up in my research.
I spent the time mostly viewing the epigraphic stuff. Thousands of inscriptions on marble, travertine, and other material, make up the bulk of this incredible collection. Many ancient literary texts exist in manuscript form, on vellum or papyrus or some other fragile material. Very few manuscripts from antiquity exist. Texts are usually copies of copies of copies of copies, and there is a huge field of study devoted to comparing manuscripts, dating them, and establishing a stemma, a sort of family tree, of which manuscripts are copies of which sources. With inscriptions, this is not the case. Of course, an inscription can be a copy of an earlier one. Usually, though, these are the original texts from the ancient world. Many of these are short and simple, like the writing on a grave marker or the dedication of a gift to a temple. A lot of Roman inscriptions, though, are important historical documents, and include official lists of magistrates, proclamations of the emperors, decrees of the Senate, and similar texts. Usually, with some research (and help from a knowledgeable librarian) you can find the text of an inscription published in print someplace. It’s amazing, though, to see the actual texts that were put up in public my Julius Caesar, or Augustus, or Trajan. And when you have the text in front of you, and it’s carved in marble, and there are records of the actual item dating back to the time it was created, you know you’ve got the real thing in front of you.
I spent the time mostly viewing the epigraphic stuff. Thousands of inscriptions on marble, travertine, and other material, make up the bulk of this incredible collection. Many ancient literary texts exist in manuscript form, on vellum or papyrus or some other fragile material. Very few manuscripts from antiquity exist. Texts are usually copies of copies of copies of copies, and there is a huge field of study devoted to comparing manuscripts, dating them, and establishing a stemma, a sort of family tree, of which manuscripts are copies of which sources. With inscriptions, this is not the case. Of course, an inscription can be a copy of an earlier one. Usually, though, these are the original texts from the ancient world. Many of these are short and simple, like the writing on a grave marker or the dedication of a gift to a temple. A lot of Roman inscriptions, though, are important historical documents, and include official lists of magistrates, proclamations of the emperors, decrees of the Senate, and similar texts. Usually, with some research (and help from a knowledgeable librarian) you can find the text of an inscription published in print someplace. It’s amazing, though, to see the actual texts that were put up in public my Julius Caesar, or Augustus, or Trajan. And when you have the text in front of you, and it’s carved in marble, and there are records of the actual item dating back to the time it was created, you know you’ve got the real thing in front of you.
Thursday 12 June: Hitting the books
During Gary’s time in Rome, I’ve actually been pretty good about my research. I would hit the books while Gary went for a walk around town, or went running along the Tiber, or worked out at the palestra. But I’m now down to my last few weeks in Rome, and I have some loose ends to tie up. Today I spent the day in full OCD mode, organizing notes, checking bibliographies, updating drafts, and making lists of sources I still need to check. Before I knew it, it was dinner time, and I hadn’t eaten all day! If you know me, you understand what a rare occurrence this is. I realized that I was starved, and craving carbs, I headed out to Cave Canem, one of my favorite local eateries. I started with a salad of mixed greens, just so nobody could say I wasn’t getting my vegetables, and then had a huge baked potato stuffed with sausage and gorgonzola cheese. You have to try this sometime; it’s really good, especially when you’re hungry. Since Rome was starting to really heat up these days, I followed dinner with lemon gelato in the piazza.
An anticlimactic day after spending a month with Gary, kicking around Italy from the Veneto to Amalfi. Still, I got a lot of work done.
An anticlimactic day after spending a month with Gary, kicking around Italy from the Veneto to Amalfi. Still, I got a lot of work done.
Wednesday 11 June: Arrivederci Gary!
All good things come to an end. Today Gary had an early flight back to the US. We got up about 5 am, meaning an hour and a half after Trastevere went to bed. Fortunately, Gary had packed the day before and we were ready to go pretty quickly. We had a quick cup of coffee in the apartment, and then dragged the luggage down the street to the taxi stand at Piazza Trilussa. Gary was taking one of my huge suitcases back with him, filled with stuff I didn’t need for my last few weeks, as well as a bunch of stuff we had bought as we traveled through Italy. We figured that it would be easier for him to take, since I could help him get it to the airport. We caught a cab and arrived at Fiumicino about four hours before his flight was scheduled to leave. Gary and I both like to get to the airport with lots of lead time, and today it was a good thing we did. After checking the enormously unhelpful bank of monitors for information on departure, and asking at two desks, we found out that we had to take a shuttle to another terminal for Gary’s flight. Once we got to this terminal, they told me that I had to leave, since I wasn’t ticketed, and Gary had to go on through baggage check and security. We had hoped that Gary could check his bags, and then we’d have a chance to have coffee and breakfast together, but it was not to be. We said our good-byes, and I watched until I saw Gary go around a corner. Then the guard threw me out. Luckily, there was another shuttle waiting, and I went back to the main terminal and took the train back to the Trastevere station, and from there caught the tram back to my neighborhood.
Gary’s phone didn’t have international roaming, so he wasn’t able to call me while he waited. He did eventually get through security and baggage check though, with only one bag overweight (the other was eight ounces under the maximum). He had a flight of almost eleven hours to Cincinnati, followed by a wait of several more hours, before getting back to State College after 9 pm. I spent the day doing research at home and checking his flight status. Luckily, that day I was able to piggy back on someone’s wireless. It’s pretty cool how you can now track a flight online and watch its progress on a map.
I finally heard from Gary after he made it to Cincinnati, and then when he got home. After traveling for twenty-four hours, he made it back safe and sound, although tired and jet lagged. He said that the cats were ecstatic to see him! Old Eddie, who thinks that Gary is his mother (we got Eddie when he was about six weeks old, and he’s now pushing nineteen), would not leave Gary alone, and followed him everywhere he went in the house. Erik the Red, who is always glad to see people, did the same. Even Xander, our sociopathic misanthrope kitty, greeted him and let Gary pick him up and pet him! The cats, house and yard were fine, Gary reported. There had been a little problem with a radiator in a downstairs room leaking, but our great cat sitter Jane had notified our friend Amanda, who called a plumber and had the hot water turned off. Gary would deal with that the next day.
I was glad that Gary got home safely, but I wished he were still here. I went back to bed after speaking with him, and tried to get a little sleep before the city began to wake up.
Gary’s phone didn’t have international roaming, so he wasn’t able to call me while he waited. He did eventually get through security and baggage check though, with only one bag overweight (the other was eight ounces under the maximum). He had a flight of almost eleven hours to Cincinnati, followed by a wait of several more hours, before getting back to State College after 9 pm. I spent the day doing research at home and checking his flight status. Luckily, that day I was able to piggy back on someone’s wireless. It’s pretty cool how you can now track a flight online and watch its progress on a map.
I finally heard from Gary after he made it to Cincinnati, and then when he got home. After traveling for twenty-four hours, he made it back safe and sound, although tired and jet lagged. He said that the cats were ecstatic to see him! Old Eddie, who thinks that Gary is his mother (we got Eddie when he was about six weeks old, and he’s now pushing nineteen), would not leave Gary alone, and followed him everywhere he went in the house. Erik the Red, who is always glad to see people, did the same. Even Xander, our sociopathic misanthrope kitty, greeted him and let Gary pick him up and pet him! The cats, house and yard were fine, Gary reported. There had been a little problem with a radiator in a downstairs room leaking, but our great cat sitter Jane had notified our friend Amanda, who called a plumber and had the hot water turned off. Gary would deal with that the next day.
I was glad that Gary got home safely, but I wished he were still here. I went back to bed after speaking with him, and tried to get a little sleep before the city began to wake up.
Tuesday 10 June: Shopping in the Centro Storico
Gary and I got up early today. It was Gary’s last day in Rome, and we wanted to go back to see some of our favorite sights together. We walked across Ponte Sisto to the Centro Storico, and once again visited the bustle of the Campo dei’ Fiore’s produce stands, flower vendors, and stall of gastronomic delicacies. I love seeing the fruits and vegetables laid out like jewelry or piled high in bins. Produce looks completely different in an outdoor stall than it does in a grocery store. We wandered the maze of medieval lanes that connect the major thoroughfares of the downtown district. This part of Rome is fascinating because of the way that a large, main avenue lined with modern shops and banks branches off on both sides into crooked, narrow alleys that are largely unchanged since medieval times.
In what is becoming a first and last day in Rome tradition, Gary and I stopped in Piazza Navona for lunch. It was bright and hot outside, and the sun shone on dozens of artists working in the piazza. Sketches, watercolors, pastels, and oils were all represented, and the artists were offering everything from caricature portraits done on the spot to landscapes and views of the city. We retreated to the shade of the umbrellas of one of the restaurants on the east side of the piazza and had our traditional meal of spaghetti alla carbonara, pasta with cheese, egg, and bacon. Salad and gelato completed the meal, and since it was Gary’s last day, we had a bottle of prosecco, the sparkling wine that is Italy’s answer to champagne.
We left Piazza Navona and stopped at La Sella, a nearby leather shop. They’ve been making and selling leather goods in Rome for generations, and their small shop is crowded with handbags, brief cases, wallets, portfolios, and other leather. We’ve shopped there in Rome before, and wanted to pick up a few items. Besides, the wallet I had bought there in Rome a few years earlier had become damaged, and Gary was going to by me a replacement. I found the identical wallet, which I had initialed DCM. They don’t even charge for personalizing! Leather shops are great just for the aroma. You can smell the leather from outside as you walk by.
After leaving the shop, we meandered toward the Trevi Fountain. As always, this is a great place for people watching (and pickpockets). Gary and I have thrown so many coins in this damn fountain that we’re pretty much guaranteed several return trips to the Eternal City! We both love this place, though; the most recent of Rome’s major tourist attractions. It’s not even three hundred years old, a baby compared to the Forum. The magnificent sculpture of Neptune riding an oyster shell is so cool; he looks sort of like he’s snowboarding from the way he’s standing, sort of leaning back a little with one foot forward. The tritons (mere-dudes) leading the water horses are almost worthy of Bernini (and if you’ve been reading this blog, you know how I feel about Bernini!). And I love how the horses’ hooves turn into webbed flippers. One horse is struggling against its triton, and the other is letting itself be led peacefully; this represents the sea in storm and calm.
Since we were in the neighborhood, we stopped at the Gesù, or more formally, La Chiesa del Sacro Nome di Gesù, church of the holy name of Jesus, the mother church of the Jesuit order. Built in the second half of the sixteenth century by Vignola and della Porta, it is the model of late Renaissance Counter-Reformation architecture. A balanced, classical façade leads directly into the huge interior. There is no porch or vestibule, and no side aisles so characteristic of the ancient and medieval basilica model of many Roman churches. Instead, the interior is one vast space, with side chapels opening directly onto the nave. This was to allow for the largest possible congregation to hear the preaching for which the Jesuits were famed, and to allow everyone a view of the lofty pulpit. Most of the interior decoration is 17th century baroque, and there are several incredibly lavish chapels and side altars. Two works of art stand out, though. The first is the amazing perspective painting on the ceiling of the main nave, Gaulli’s “Triumph of the Name of Jesus.” This huge work overflows its frame, and figures spill out of the work and down the curve of the vault. There is a large mirror near the entrance, angled so you can get a view of the entire painting. The other that stands out is the altar-tomb of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. This is probably the richest altar in Rome outside of St. Peter’s. Huge columns of lapis lazuli and gilt bronze frame the urn and altar containing the saint’s body. Above is a larger-than-life bronze of Loyola, and the whole thing is topped by a large, opulent sculpture of the Trinity.
Gary and I eventually headed back to Trastevere and began to pack up Gary’s stuff. He is taking a bunch of my stuff back, since I won’t need some of it any more (like my jacket and ties), and is also carrying the Venetian glass and Sorrentine ceramics. As dinner time came, we were still full from lunch, so we had a simple meal of panini followed by gelato in the piazza. We tried to get to sleep early, since Gary had an early flight in the morning.
In what is becoming a first and last day in Rome tradition, Gary and I stopped in Piazza Navona for lunch. It was bright and hot outside, and the sun shone on dozens of artists working in the piazza. Sketches, watercolors, pastels, and oils were all represented, and the artists were offering everything from caricature portraits done on the spot to landscapes and views of the city. We retreated to the shade of the umbrellas of one of the restaurants on the east side of the piazza and had our traditional meal of spaghetti alla carbonara, pasta with cheese, egg, and bacon. Salad and gelato completed the meal, and since it was Gary’s last day, we had a bottle of prosecco, the sparkling wine that is Italy’s answer to champagne.
We left Piazza Navona and stopped at La Sella, a nearby leather shop. They’ve been making and selling leather goods in Rome for generations, and their small shop is crowded with handbags, brief cases, wallets, portfolios, and other leather. We’ve shopped there in Rome before, and wanted to pick up a few items. Besides, the wallet I had bought there in Rome a few years earlier had become damaged, and Gary was going to by me a replacement. I found the identical wallet, which I had initialed DCM. They don’t even charge for personalizing! Leather shops are great just for the aroma. You can smell the leather from outside as you walk by.
After leaving the shop, we meandered toward the Trevi Fountain. As always, this is a great place for people watching (and pickpockets). Gary and I have thrown so many coins in this damn fountain that we’re pretty much guaranteed several return trips to the Eternal City! We both love this place, though; the most recent of Rome’s major tourist attractions. It’s not even three hundred years old, a baby compared to the Forum. The magnificent sculpture of Neptune riding an oyster shell is so cool; he looks sort of like he’s snowboarding from the way he’s standing, sort of leaning back a little with one foot forward. The tritons (mere-dudes) leading the water horses are almost worthy of Bernini (and if you’ve been reading this blog, you know how I feel about Bernini!). And I love how the horses’ hooves turn into webbed flippers. One horse is struggling against its triton, and the other is letting itself be led peacefully; this represents the sea in storm and calm.
Since we were in the neighborhood, we stopped at the Gesù, or more formally, La Chiesa del Sacro Nome di Gesù, church of the holy name of Jesus, the mother church of the Jesuit order. Built in the second half of the sixteenth century by Vignola and della Porta, it is the model of late Renaissance Counter-Reformation architecture. A balanced, classical façade leads directly into the huge interior. There is no porch or vestibule, and no side aisles so characteristic of the ancient and medieval basilica model of many Roman churches. Instead, the interior is one vast space, with side chapels opening directly onto the nave. This was to allow for the largest possible congregation to hear the preaching for which the Jesuits were famed, and to allow everyone a view of the lofty pulpit. Most of the interior decoration is 17th century baroque, and there are several incredibly lavish chapels and side altars. Two works of art stand out, though. The first is the amazing perspective painting on the ceiling of the main nave, Gaulli’s “Triumph of the Name of Jesus.” This huge work overflows its frame, and figures spill out of the work and down the curve of the vault. There is a large mirror near the entrance, angled so you can get a view of the entire painting. The other that stands out is the altar-tomb of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. This is probably the richest altar in Rome outside of St. Peter’s. Huge columns of lapis lazuli and gilt bronze frame the urn and altar containing the saint’s body. Above is a larger-than-life bronze of Loyola, and the whole thing is topped by a large, opulent sculpture of the Trinity.
Gary and I eventually headed back to Trastevere and began to pack up Gary’s stuff. He is taking a bunch of my stuff back, since I won’t need some of it any more (like my jacket and ties), and is also carrying the Venetian glass and Sorrentine ceramics. As dinner time came, we were still full from lunch, so we had a simple meal of panini followed by gelato in the piazza. We tried to get to sleep early, since Gary had an early flight in the morning.
Monday 9 June: Filming Angels and Demons; or, Gary and Dan see famous movie stars
Gary only has a couple more days in Rome, and his favorite part of town is the Centro Storico from the Campo dei’ Fiori to the Forum and Colosseum, so we decided to visit the area again. We left in the morning while it was still relatively cool. Rome is already starting to get hot; by the end of the month it will be a furnace. First, though, we headed to the Vatican. The line at St. Peter's had been hours long the entire time Gary was here. We decided to go early, and we found no line at all. Gary and I entered the huge basilica and just wandered, admiring our favorite sculptures and monuments. Mass was being sung in a side chapel, and the sound drifted faintly through the vast space. We spent an hour in the cool interior as we visited the many altars and chapels that crowd the immense interior.
We left the Vatican and walked into the already-growing Roman heat, and headed toward the Pantheon. There was a huge crowd in Piazza della Rotunda in front of the Pantheon. A group of people had wardrobes of clothes, cameras and microphones on booms, and batteries of lights. I thought maybe they were making a commercial or something, but Gary said, “No, it’s too big for that. They must be filming a movie.” He stayed outside to investigate while I entered the Pantheon. I’ve described this incredible structure before, with its vast dome made in a single casting of concrete. Well, I had taken a seat for a couple of minutes to rest, when Gary came in looking for me, saying, “Look! Tom Hanks is out here!” I followed Gary outside, and right there in front of us were not only Tom Hanks, but Ron Howard, too. They were filming Angels and Demons, Dan Brown’s prequel to The Da Vinci Code! We had front row seats, right on the top step of the portico of the temple, and were able to watch them rehearse and shoot a couple of scenes. We realized that half the people in the piazza were extras. Priests and nuns in a variety of habits (many of which you seldom see outside the Vatican these days), street performers, vendors and hawkers, and even families of tourists were all standing around, waiting for their cues. Gary pointed out how cool it was that everything looked so randomly placed, but was really tightly choreographed. We watched the spectacle for a while, and Gary got some excellent pics for Flickr; check them out at www.flickr.com/danielcmack. He got a couple of great close-ups of Tom Hanks and Ron Howard. I’m not a great fan of Brown’s prose, but I thought The Da Vince Code made a better movie than book, and I bet Angels and Demons will, too. Now we have to see it just to see if we’re in camera view!
We finally left the Pantheon and the filming, and headed back to Trastevere. On our way back, near Campo dei’ Fiore, we passed a group of college aged young women, who yelled “Penn State!” at us. Gary was wearing Penn State polo, and they had spotted us. They were students from University Park here for a few weeks. We stopped and chatted with them for a while, and discovered that they were living in Trastevere too. We gave them a few tips for food and shopping, and Gary pointed them toward the filming site. By the time we reached the apartment it was hot, and time for siesta. We rested during the afternoon heat, and then had a dinner of salad and pizza. Monday night is the quietest in Trastevere because half the restaurants and most of the bars are closed, so we had another decent night’s sleep.
We left the Vatican and walked into the already-growing Roman heat, and headed toward the Pantheon. There was a huge crowd in Piazza della Rotunda in front of the Pantheon. A group of people had wardrobes of clothes, cameras and microphones on booms, and batteries of lights. I thought maybe they were making a commercial or something, but Gary said, “No, it’s too big for that. They must be filming a movie.” He stayed outside to investigate while I entered the Pantheon. I’ve described this incredible structure before, with its vast dome made in a single casting of concrete. Well, I had taken a seat for a couple of minutes to rest, when Gary came in looking for me, saying, “Look! Tom Hanks is out here!” I followed Gary outside, and right there in front of us were not only Tom Hanks, but Ron Howard, too. They were filming Angels and Demons, Dan Brown’s prequel to The Da Vinci Code! We had front row seats, right on the top step of the portico of the temple, and were able to watch them rehearse and shoot a couple of scenes. We realized that half the people in the piazza were extras. Priests and nuns in a variety of habits (many of which you seldom see outside the Vatican these days), street performers, vendors and hawkers, and even families of tourists were all standing around, waiting for their cues. Gary pointed out how cool it was that everything looked so randomly placed, but was really tightly choreographed. We watched the spectacle for a while, and Gary got some excellent pics for Flickr; check them out at www.flickr.com/danielcmack. He got a couple of great close-ups of Tom Hanks and Ron Howard. I’m not a great fan of Brown’s prose, but I thought The Da Vince Code made a better movie than book, and I bet Angels and Demons will, too. Now we have to see it just to see if we’re in camera view!
We finally left the Pantheon and the filming, and headed back to Trastevere. On our way back, near Campo dei’ Fiore, we passed a group of college aged young women, who yelled “Penn State!” at us. Gary was wearing Penn State polo, and they had spotted us. They were students from University Park here for a few weeks. We stopped and chatted with them for a while, and discovered that they were living in Trastevere too. We gave them a few tips for food and shopping, and Gary pointed them toward the filming site. By the time we reached the apartment it was hot, and time for siesta. We rested during the afternoon heat, and then had a dinner of salad and pizza. Monday night is the quietest in Trastevere because half the restaurants and most of the bars are closed, so we had another decent night’s sleep.
Sunday 8 June: Laundry and pasta
One chore today: laundry. I had almost nothing clean left, and Gary had worn most of his during our trip to the south. We headed out in the morning for the lavanderia. Our route passed through Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere, the main square in the neighborhood. We go through this piazza several times a day, but I had never been there early Sunday to witness the aftermath of Trastevere’s Saturday evening revelry. The square was literally ankle deep in trash of all kinds, from broken bottles and discarded gelato cups to pizza boxes and discarded clothing. The morning hazmat team was just arriving to clean up. I’m amazed at how the local practice appears to be just trashing the place and then cleaning up, rather than enforce any sort of use of waste cans or recycle bins. We realized how women can walk on the cobblestones in high heel Manolos without breaking a heel: the cobbles are completely filled in with wine corks and cigarette butts.
Laundry was uneventful. There is a bar across the street to get a caffè, and down the block a nice gelateria with outside window and tables under a tree. We amused ourselves there for a while, and then went back to the laundromat to watch MTV Italia while our clothes finished drying. The station’s lineup is funny. American pop and rap alternates with Italian songs, many of which are hilariously bad (well, probably not any more so than US pop, but the novelty of it being in Italian is a contributing factor). We had plans for the morning and wanted to get to bed early, so we had an early dinner at one of the best restaurants near the apartment, on Piazza Santa Maria della Scala. Gary had his favorite, the classic Roman spaghetti alla carbonara, and I decided to have the same. Gelato in the piazza, and early to bed. Sunday night is the second quietest night in Trastevere after Monday, so we actually got some sleep.
Laundry was uneventful. There is a bar across the street to get a caffè, and down the block a nice gelateria with outside window and tables under a tree. We amused ourselves there for a while, and then went back to the laundromat to watch MTV Italia while our clothes finished drying. The station’s lineup is funny. American pop and rap alternates with Italian songs, many of which are hilariously bad (well, probably not any more so than US pop, but the novelty of it being in Italian is a contributing factor). We had plans for the morning and wanted to get to bed early, so we had an early dinner at one of the best restaurants near the apartment, on Piazza Santa Maria della Scala. Gary had his favorite, the classic Roman spaghetti alla carbonara, and I decided to have the same. Gelato in the piazza, and early to bed. Sunday night is the second quietest night in Trastevere after Monday, so we actually got some sleep.
Saturday 7 June: Return to Roma
Today Gary and I had to leave the paradise that is Sorrento. Fortunately, we did not have to go until the afternoon, so we were able to spend several hours hanging out by the water, just chilling and watching the constantly changing spectacle of sun, sea and sky. A little rain in the morning gave way to the bright sunshine of southern Italy. We kept going out onto our terrace for yet another last look at the magnificent sight of the volcano sleeping over the sea.
A taxi quickly took us to the station, where we boarded the local Circumvesuviana that had brought us to Sorrento. The trip to Naples, where we would catch our train to Rome, was less than an hour. The Circumvesuviana is a lot like public transportation in Rome: they almost never check for tickets, unless you’re part of a group of Italian ragazzi in their early teens. Of course, one such group was on board, and we had gone only a couple of stops before some rail authority in a very impressive uniform (all Italian uniforms are impressive!) hauled the boys off the train for riding illegally. They never asked to see anyone else’s tickets.
Once again, Gary and I were taken by the contrasts of the countryside leading up to Naples. Huge tenement complexes alternated with fields of tomatoes and pastures of water buffalo. We encountered a few more stacks of uncollected trash; apparently, the government still hasn’t resolved that crisis, either! Once in Naples, we found the track for our train to Rome, and having a couple of hours to wait, we headed for the one place in an Italian train station where you can find both seating and a free restroom: the local Mickey D’s. We were thirsty, so we ordered Cola-Cola Light, apparently Italy’s second-favorite soft drink after Orange Fanta. I decided to get a couple of regular hamburgers. When I asked for them, the guy at the counter said “no salsa, no salsa.” Well, I didn’t quite know what he meant, since I don’t expect sauce on a Mickey D burger, so I said fine. “No salsa” apparently means “we are going to serve your burger completely plain, without pickle, onion, or ketchup.” Gary and I were sort of amused by this, so I went back up and ordered two more hamburgers a few minutes later. The same guy told me, “Now it’s after 3:30, so you can have salsa.” Sure enough, these burgers had onions, ketchup, and pickle (Gary always gives me his pickles). I don’t know the significance of 3:30, but it was funny.
The train to Rome was unpleasant, to put it mildly. Until then, we had been impressed by the Italian rail system. This train was not only filthy, with trash on the floor and half the seats, but it was also sweltering. It must have been 90 in our car! If you know me, you know how I feel about heat. I’d rather freeze than break a sweat. Luckily, the trip was less than two hours (I love high speed rail!), and there was a great breeze if you stood near the door connecting cars.
Other than the crappy train, we arrived back in Rome without incident. The apartment was stuffy because it had been closed up. It cooled quickly once we opened the big windows. It was now past 8 pm, and we were hungry, but too tired to sit in a restaurant. Trastevere is fortunately supplied with a range of eating establishments, so a couple of slices of pizza a taglio and a bottle of wine to go set us up for the evening.
A taxi quickly took us to the station, where we boarded the local Circumvesuviana that had brought us to Sorrento. The trip to Naples, where we would catch our train to Rome, was less than an hour. The Circumvesuviana is a lot like public transportation in Rome: they almost never check for tickets, unless you’re part of a group of Italian ragazzi in their early teens. Of course, one such group was on board, and we had gone only a couple of stops before some rail authority in a very impressive uniform (all Italian uniforms are impressive!) hauled the boys off the train for riding illegally. They never asked to see anyone else’s tickets.
Once again, Gary and I were taken by the contrasts of the countryside leading up to Naples. Huge tenement complexes alternated with fields of tomatoes and pastures of water buffalo. We encountered a few more stacks of uncollected trash; apparently, the government still hasn’t resolved that crisis, either! Once in Naples, we found the track for our train to Rome, and having a couple of hours to wait, we headed for the one place in an Italian train station where you can find both seating and a free restroom: the local Mickey D’s. We were thirsty, so we ordered Cola-Cola Light, apparently Italy’s second-favorite soft drink after Orange Fanta. I decided to get a couple of regular hamburgers. When I asked for them, the guy at the counter said “no salsa, no salsa.” Well, I didn’t quite know what he meant, since I don’t expect sauce on a Mickey D burger, so I said fine. “No salsa” apparently means “we are going to serve your burger completely plain, without pickle, onion, or ketchup.” Gary and I were sort of amused by this, so I went back up and ordered two more hamburgers a few minutes later. The same guy told me, “Now it’s after 3:30, so you can have salsa.” Sure enough, these burgers had onions, ketchup, and pickle (Gary always gives me his pickles). I don’t know the significance of 3:30, but it was funny.
The train to Rome was unpleasant, to put it mildly. Until then, we had been impressed by the Italian rail system. This train was not only filthy, with trash on the floor and half the seats, but it was also sweltering. It must have been 90 in our car! If you know me, you know how I feel about heat. I’d rather freeze than break a sweat. Luckily, the trip was less than two hours (I love high speed rail!), and there was a great breeze if you stood near the door connecting cars.
Other than the crappy train, we arrived back in Rome without incident. The apartment was stuffy because it had been closed up. It cooled quickly once we opened the big windows. It was now past 8 pm, and we were hungry, but too tired to sit in a restaurant. Trastevere is fortunately supplied with a range of eating establishments, so a couple of slices of pizza a taglio and a bottle of wine to go set us up for the evening.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Friday 6 June: A lazy day in Sorrento; or, The joys of doing nothing
When Gary and I travel, we like to see the sights with an emphasis on nature and on art and architecture. That’s why we go on cruises and walks, and visit museums, churches, and palaces. We also like to eat good food! That’s not all we do, though. We like to spend some time relaxing by doing nothing. Gary and I had earlier decided that Friday in Sorrento would be our “do nothing” day. No planned tours or visits, just hanging out relaxing by the pool, chilling. And that’s what we did today.
The weather alternated between sunshine and light rain. Even the rain was great, though, because it rained when the sky was clear overhead! It was the strangest sight, to see that huge open sky overhead, the monstrous clouds high up around us on all sides, but the sun shining down on us as the rain fell in a gentle shower. This didn’t stop us from chilling pool-side; when the rain would start, we’d just go in the lobby until it ended. Gary actually did go for a walk into town, where he discovered Sorrento’s only bancomat (ATM). It was mobbed by tourists, mostly British, complaining that it was the only ATM in Sorrento. It was sort of odd, because all of the shops and restaurants in Sorrento, even those with credit card signs, always asked if we could pay cash when presented with plastic. Gary asked about this at Il Delfino, and said that if they wanted us to pay cash, there should be more bancomats in town. To this the proprietor replied that Sorrento did not need another bancomat! I guess they just expect tourists to walk around with hundreds and thousands of euro in their pockets.
Anyway, doing nothing was the point of the day, and that’s basically what we did. If you haven’t done it, try it sometime. No plans, except maybe dinner, no goal, and no structure. Just lie around the pool or wherever. Sure, read if you feel like it. Chat with other guests. But don’t have an agenda, and just hang out. It’s amazing how seldom we actually do it. You'll look back and think, what did I do that day that made it so great? Oh yeah, I chilled!
Our one plan for the day was dinner. We returned to Il Delfino for a second dinner, something we almost never do, because the food was so incredible. More sea food, this time spaghetti allo scoglio. Scoglio is a rock, like a stone on the bottom of the sea with sea creatures stuck all over it, and this dish features all the shellfish and other critters that live on the sea stones: clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and rock lobster, all steamed whole in their shells in garlic, tomato, and wine, then tossed with pasta. Following this was a misto fritto di mare, fried mixed sea food. Sardines, whole baby octopus, squid, oysters, and pieces of sea bass were dipped in a light batter and quickly deep fried, then brought to the table scalding hot and eaten with lemon. Gary has a great picture of me dangling a little octopus by one tentacle into my mouth on Flickr.
Once again, we returned to our nearby hotel and watched the sun set over the bay from our terrace. The golden light turned orange, then red, and the entire ring of the bay’s shore glowed in the late rays of the sun, a ring of fire around the darkly sparkling water. Clouds passed overhead, and an occasional light shower would sprinkle down for a minute and pass. Then evening came, and night fell on Vesuvius and his bay.
The weather alternated between sunshine and light rain. Even the rain was great, though, because it rained when the sky was clear overhead! It was the strangest sight, to see that huge open sky overhead, the monstrous clouds high up around us on all sides, but the sun shining down on us as the rain fell in a gentle shower. This didn’t stop us from chilling pool-side; when the rain would start, we’d just go in the lobby until it ended. Gary actually did go for a walk into town, where he discovered Sorrento’s only bancomat (ATM). It was mobbed by tourists, mostly British, complaining that it was the only ATM in Sorrento. It was sort of odd, because all of the shops and restaurants in Sorrento, even those with credit card signs, always asked if we could pay cash when presented with plastic. Gary asked about this at Il Delfino, and said that if they wanted us to pay cash, there should be more bancomats in town. To this the proprietor replied that Sorrento did not need another bancomat! I guess they just expect tourists to walk around with hundreds and thousands of euro in their pockets.
Anyway, doing nothing was the point of the day, and that’s basically what we did. If you haven’t done it, try it sometime. No plans, except maybe dinner, no goal, and no structure. Just lie around the pool or wherever. Sure, read if you feel like it. Chat with other guests. But don’t have an agenda, and just hang out. It’s amazing how seldom we actually do it. You'll look back and think, what did I do that day that made it so great? Oh yeah, I chilled!
Our one plan for the day was dinner. We returned to Il Delfino for a second dinner, something we almost never do, because the food was so incredible. More sea food, this time spaghetti allo scoglio. Scoglio is a rock, like a stone on the bottom of the sea with sea creatures stuck all over it, and this dish features all the shellfish and other critters that live on the sea stones: clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and rock lobster, all steamed whole in their shells in garlic, tomato, and wine, then tossed with pasta. Following this was a misto fritto di mare, fried mixed sea food. Sardines, whole baby octopus, squid, oysters, and pieces of sea bass were dipped in a light batter and quickly deep fried, then brought to the table scalding hot and eaten with lemon. Gary has a great picture of me dangling a little octopus by one tentacle into my mouth on Flickr.
Once again, we returned to our nearby hotel and watched the sun set over the bay from our terrace. The golden light turned orange, then red, and the entire ring of the bay’s shore glowed in the late rays of the sun, a ring of fire around the darkly sparkling water. Clouds passed overhead, and an occasional light shower would sprinkle down for a minute and pass. Then evening came, and night fell on Vesuvius and his bay.
Thursday 5 June: A cruise around Capri and the Amalfi Coast; and the best seafood ever
Last night it rained briefly. We got up and watched it for a while from our terrace. It was beautiful, the rain falling on the dark sea, and the lights of Naples sprawling across the far side of the bay. In the morning the rain was gone, and it was sunny and clear. Gary and I had a nice breakfast in our hotel, and then caught a cab to the port (I didn’t want to walk all the way up the cliff and then back down again). Today we were going on a cruise around the Sorrentine peninsula, past Capri and Positano, to Amalfi. We had coffee at a caffè on the water, then waited for the Metro di Mare, the cruise shuttle that serves the Bay of Naples.
Our ship was a decent size, and was fairly fast. We boarded with a bunch of other tourists and headed out into the bay. What amazing views! Far off on the other side of the bay we could see the Neapolitan skyline. To our left was the peninsula, and our hotel at the very end of the buildings along the water in Sorrento. Once again Gary and I were amazed by the colors: the deep blue of the sea; the clear, lighter blue of the sky, the pastel buildings of Sorrento, and the many greens of the trees and shrubs that covered the land down to the water. As always, ruling the view was Vesuvius the great, looming over your shoulder every time you turned around.
The water was filled with vessels of all kinds: fishing boats collecting that evening’s dinner, tourist boats and pleasure craft of all kinds, and a couple of enormous cruise ships serviced by a constant stream of shuttles carrying their passengers ashore for the day. As we headed out further, the water turned choppy. Gary stood most of the trip, and took many excellent photos. Check them out at www.flickr.com/danielcmack! My knee didn’t let me balance for long, but I had a great seat in the open top level of the ship. As we headed out to sea, we passed the last reaches of the peninsula, and ahead of us Capri rose from the waves. This island looks like a huge pointed stone that some immense Titan flung out into the water. Its peaks rear up steeply from the waves, and there are beaches around the shore. For thousands of years Capri has been a refuge for the wealthy and powerful. Tiberius, the second Roman emperor, spent his last several years here, ruling the Empire from his villa on Capri because he despised Rome. It is here, in the Villa of the Monsters, that Tiberius indulged in some of the more grotesque behavior imaginable, which he passed on to his heir and successor Caligula (see Suetonius’ Lives of the twelve Caesars if you want the disgusting details: it’s like an ancient Roman Jerry Springer show!).
Out at sea we were completely dazzled. The clear Mediterranean sun sparkled on the water, now blue, now so purple it looked almost black, but always with a shimmering surface reflecting the light. As we passed the island of Capri we could make out the hotels and villas that still dot the island. Rounding the tip of the peninsula, we turned and sped along the southern side of the stretch of land. Here we passed small islands like mini-Capris, more like big rocks sticking out of the sea than islands. Even these had a few buildings on them. A medieval watchtower on one looked like it had been abandoned for ages, while another hosted what looked like a weather or oceanographic outpost.
We were now around the peninsula with the Amalfi Coast on our left. Sheer cliffs dropped down into the Mediterranean, with terraces of pines, palms, and other vegetation. Most amazing, though, were the houses and villages on the steep cliffs. I can’t imagine the roads it must take to reach them! Then ahead we saw that we were approaching Positano. This ancient town is a beautiful riot of brightly-colored houses, churches, and hotels on an immensely steep slope leading right down to the water. Once again, Gary got some great photos for Flickr. In the sky, huge billowing clouds of white and gray began to pile up behind the mountains, while the sky over the sea stayed clear and sunny. The brilliant light reflected off the shining water and the rainbow hues of the town, made even more vivid by the dark green cliffs and towering clouds behind them.
We continued past Positano, and finally arrived at Amalfi. This resort town has long been a favorite of celebrities, and we had a couple of hours to wander the piers and streets lining the shore. As we left our ship, we noticed that, in true Italian fashion, a number of women were sunning themselves topless on the beach. To our amusement, this brought out the cameras and camcorders of several tourists, mostly elderly British men. Gary and I bought drinks (the ubiquitous Coca-Cola Light), sat in the shade, and admired the view. Amalfi stretched above us in tier after tier of houses, hotels, and villas. High up were medieval battlements, towers centuries old. I can’t imagine what it must have been like building up the cliffs back then; it would be incredibly difficult and dangerous even with modern construction equipment. The streets along the shore in Amalfi are lined with shops selling souvenirs, ceramics, and various tasty treats of the region. We wandered the beautiful shoreline until it was time for our return journey.
The trip back to Sorrento was the same as we had taken out, only in reverse. If anything, the photo-ops were even better in this direction because of the light. The clouds over the shore had mostly dispersed, and as the sun headed west, the afternoon light shone on the faces of the cliffs, turning them ochre and orange. We rounded the peninsula, once again skirted Capri, and headed back to Sorrento. Gary and I didn’t want to get off the ship; it had been such fun, with such incredible scenery. Make sure you check out Gary’s pics!
The evening ended with dinner at Il Delfino, a restaurant very near our hotel, and recommended to us by the singing taxi driver. I’m glad we went there, because this ended up being the single best meal of my entire life! Gary had a salad to start, and I had the house antipasto di mare, a marinated combination of octopus, clam, oyster, mussel, sardine, crab, and shrimp, all in a lemon-garlic marinade with hot pepper flakes. As delicious as this was, the second course was even better: risotto alla pescatora, a seafood and rice dish in a spicy tomato broth that may be the single best thing I have ever eaten. Gary’s pasta course was outstanding, homemade ravioli with meat sauce. For his entrée, he ate chicken grilled in herbs and lemon. I had asked for that evening’s best fish, which was sea bass baked in lemon and garlic. The entire fish was cooked and brought whole to me, and the waiter filleted it at the table. Amazing! We finished with lemon and chocolate torts with gelato and shots of limoncello, Sorrento’s famous lemon liqueur. Stuffed, we walked back to the nearby hotel and finished the evening with cocktails and dark chocolate on our terrace, watching night fall over the bay. The moon and distant lights of Naples sparkled off the dark water, and in the distance we could see the silhouette of the great volcano sleeping across the bay.
Our ship was a decent size, and was fairly fast. We boarded with a bunch of other tourists and headed out into the bay. What amazing views! Far off on the other side of the bay we could see the Neapolitan skyline. To our left was the peninsula, and our hotel at the very end of the buildings along the water in Sorrento. Once again Gary and I were amazed by the colors: the deep blue of the sea; the clear, lighter blue of the sky, the pastel buildings of Sorrento, and the many greens of the trees and shrubs that covered the land down to the water. As always, ruling the view was Vesuvius the great, looming over your shoulder every time you turned around.
The water was filled with vessels of all kinds: fishing boats collecting that evening’s dinner, tourist boats and pleasure craft of all kinds, and a couple of enormous cruise ships serviced by a constant stream of shuttles carrying their passengers ashore for the day. As we headed out further, the water turned choppy. Gary stood most of the trip, and took many excellent photos. Check them out at www.flickr.com/danielcmack! My knee didn’t let me balance for long, but I had a great seat in the open top level of the ship. As we headed out to sea, we passed the last reaches of the peninsula, and ahead of us Capri rose from the waves. This island looks like a huge pointed stone that some immense Titan flung out into the water. Its peaks rear up steeply from the waves, and there are beaches around the shore. For thousands of years Capri has been a refuge for the wealthy and powerful. Tiberius, the second Roman emperor, spent his last several years here, ruling the Empire from his villa on Capri because he despised Rome. It is here, in the Villa of the Monsters, that Tiberius indulged in some of the more grotesque behavior imaginable, which he passed on to his heir and successor Caligula (see Suetonius’ Lives of the twelve Caesars if you want the disgusting details: it’s like an ancient Roman Jerry Springer show!).
Out at sea we were completely dazzled. The clear Mediterranean sun sparkled on the water, now blue, now so purple it looked almost black, but always with a shimmering surface reflecting the light. As we passed the island of Capri we could make out the hotels and villas that still dot the island. Rounding the tip of the peninsula, we turned and sped along the southern side of the stretch of land. Here we passed small islands like mini-Capris, more like big rocks sticking out of the sea than islands. Even these had a few buildings on them. A medieval watchtower on one looked like it had been abandoned for ages, while another hosted what looked like a weather or oceanographic outpost.
We were now around the peninsula with the Amalfi Coast on our left. Sheer cliffs dropped down into the Mediterranean, with terraces of pines, palms, and other vegetation. Most amazing, though, were the houses and villages on the steep cliffs. I can’t imagine the roads it must take to reach them! Then ahead we saw that we were approaching Positano. This ancient town is a beautiful riot of brightly-colored houses, churches, and hotels on an immensely steep slope leading right down to the water. Once again, Gary got some great photos for Flickr. In the sky, huge billowing clouds of white and gray began to pile up behind the mountains, while the sky over the sea stayed clear and sunny. The brilliant light reflected off the shining water and the rainbow hues of the town, made even more vivid by the dark green cliffs and towering clouds behind them.
We continued past Positano, and finally arrived at Amalfi. This resort town has long been a favorite of celebrities, and we had a couple of hours to wander the piers and streets lining the shore. As we left our ship, we noticed that, in true Italian fashion, a number of women were sunning themselves topless on the beach. To our amusement, this brought out the cameras and camcorders of several tourists, mostly elderly British men. Gary and I bought drinks (the ubiquitous Coca-Cola Light), sat in the shade, and admired the view. Amalfi stretched above us in tier after tier of houses, hotels, and villas. High up were medieval battlements, towers centuries old. I can’t imagine what it must have been like building up the cliffs back then; it would be incredibly difficult and dangerous even with modern construction equipment. The streets along the shore in Amalfi are lined with shops selling souvenirs, ceramics, and various tasty treats of the region. We wandered the beautiful shoreline until it was time for our return journey.
The trip back to Sorrento was the same as we had taken out, only in reverse. If anything, the photo-ops were even better in this direction because of the light. The clouds over the shore had mostly dispersed, and as the sun headed west, the afternoon light shone on the faces of the cliffs, turning them ochre and orange. We rounded the peninsula, once again skirted Capri, and headed back to Sorrento. Gary and I didn’t want to get off the ship; it had been such fun, with such incredible scenery. Make sure you check out Gary’s pics!
The evening ended with dinner at Il Delfino, a restaurant very near our hotel, and recommended to us by the singing taxi driver. I’m glad we went there, because this ended up being the single best meal of my entire life! Gary had a salad to start, and I had the house antipasto di mare, a marinated combination of octopus, clam, oyster, mussel, sardine, crab, and shrimp, all in a lemon-garlic marinade with hot pepper flakes. As delicious as this was, the second course was even better: risotto alla pescatora, a seafood and rice dish in a spicy tomato broth that may be the single best thing I have ever eaten. Gary’s pasta course was outstanding, homemade ravioli with meat sauce. For his entrée, he ate chicken grilled in herbs and lemon. I had asked for that evening’s best fish, which was sea bass baked in lemon and garlic. The entire fish was cooked and brought whole to me, and the waiter filleted it at the table. Amazing! We finished with lemon and chocolate torts with gelato and shots of limoncello, Sorrento’s famous lemon liqueur. Stuffed, we walked back to the nearby hotel and finished the evening with cocktails and dark chocolate on our terrace, watching night fall over the bay. The moon and distant lights of Naples sparkled off the dark water, and in the distance we could see the silhouette of the great volcano sleeping across the bay.
Friday, June 20, 2008
A quick note from Roma
Hi everyone! I haven't really been derelict in posting; I've just been incredibly busy the past week or so.
It's very hot in Roma now, and my 400-year-old palazzaccio doesn't have air conditioning, or even a fan. This means that the cybercaffes, which are air conditioned, are packed. I can't always get online. I have notes from the past few days and will be posting them over the weekend.
Saluti caldi!
Dan
It's very hot in Roma now, and my 400-year-old palazzaccio doesn't have air conditioning, or even a fan. This means that the cybercaffes, which are air conditioned, are packed. I can't always get online. I have notes from the past few days and will be posting them over the weekend.
Saluti caldi!
Dan
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday 4 June: Sorrento: sea, sky and sunshine
Yesterday’s afternoon and evening in Spaccanapoli, the center of Old Naples, did have one spell of absolute, utter serenity: Gary and I took a break from the fascinating parade of people to visit the tiled cloister at the church of Santa Chiara. This old medieval church is in the heart of Naples, but the cloister is an oasis of peace. In the mid-1700’s, the cloister was tiled with hand-painted tiles featuring scenes of daily life in the Bay of Naples area. There are farmers in the field, villagers dancing at a festival, hunters and dogs chasing deer and boar, and other gorgeous images. Gary took a picture of people playing bocce ball while a donkey watches from the barn window! Check it out at http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielcmack/2555162637/in/set-72157605468698645/. The church and cloister suffered serious fire damage in the mid-20th century, and is being beautifully restored. There is also a small museum with access to an ancient Roman bath house at a lower level of the site.
It’s a good thing we had that rest yesterday, because last night we got no sleep at all. The hotel is beautiful, clean and comfortable. It’s also a sauna. Our room was about 90 degrees all night long. We just couldn’t sleep, and woke very early and showered (twice!) just to cool off. We did have a good breakfast at the hotel, and then ordered a cab to take us to the train station for Sorrento. However, a local couple stole our cab from us, so we walked around the corner to the taxi stand at the Duomo (you cannot hail cabs from the street in Italy; it’s illegal for the drivers to stop). Our amiable taxi driver whizzed through the horrid traffic of Naples. They are never going to clean up this city until they do something about the traffic.
Gary and I got out of the cab at the train station for the Circumvesuviana, the local electric train that goes around the towns at the base of Vesuvius and out to the Sorrentine peninsula. We rode first through the sprawling suburbs that surround Naples. What a study in contradiction! Rows of high-rise low-income housing alternate with truck gardens of vegetables for the area and for export. The soil is incredibly fertile because of the trace elements brought up from deep within the earth when Vesuvius erupts. This is the only place you can grow tomatoes and legally call them “San Marzano” tomatoes, the best kind for Italian sauces. We even saw herds of water buffalo, the critters that supply the milk for true mozzarella di bufala cheese. The real thing is nothing like the “mozzarella” you buy in the dairy case.
We finally left the suburbs and came to the series of small towns built on the coast of the Sorrentine peninsula. At the tip of the peninsula is Sorrento. This was originally the Roman town of Surrentum, a resort town even then. In the 18th and 19th centuries it became a popular vacation spot for Europeans, especially the British, because of its sunshine and natural beauty. I had spent one memorable afternoon and evening in Sorrento when I was messing around at Pompeii in grad school, and for years have wanted to go back. The train ends at Sorrento, and the town is built on the cliffs overlooking the bay. We caught a cab driven by a bald guy with a while handlebar moustache who sang arias from Rossini the entire trip (Rossini was Neapolitan, and is a local favorite). The streets are narrow and switch back and forth in tight, hairpin turns as they wind down the cliffs to the sea. The traffic was the opposite of Naples: everyone must constantly back up, pull over, and give way to oncoming traffic, and everyone does it with a wave and a smile. The town is beautiful, and so different than the great cities of Italy. Instead of the majestic marble ruins and terra-cotta colored pallazzi of Rome, the dignified Renaissance facades of Florence, or the riot of styles in Venice, there are simple but elegant houses and hotels painted lemon yellow, bright pink, and pastel green, the colors of sherbet. Everything is cheerful, sunny, and bright. The landscape is filled with lemon and orange trees in fruit.
Gary had made us reservations at the Hotel Admiral, an old British resort that has been very nicely renovated and painted bright yellow. The hotel is right on the water, and is the last one at the end of the marina. We had a sea-side third floor room with a private terrace over the water. The walls were white, with a cove ceiling in sea blues and greens, turquoise tile floors, blond wood furnishings, and blue and yellow linens. The bathroom was huge by European standards, and best of all, had a full-size tub with fixed shower head higher than my head. I had my first comfortable shower in three months! The tile in the bathroom had squid and cuttlefish painted on it. The management even left us a complimentary bottle of champagne in a chilled ice bucket. The lobby was bright and airy, with a bar attended by a liveried bartender. It opened onto a deck with swimming pool, built about fifteen feet up right over the sea. The pool was filled with sea water. Gary and I immediately cleaned up and headed for the pool.
The vistas in Sorrento are astounding. The huge blue sky looked even bigger when immense, billowing clouds floated overhead. The water of the bay rippled in an endlessly changing pattern of sapphire and turquoise in the sunlight. Behind us rose the cliffs with beautiful resorts on top, the steep slopes dotted with citrus trees. To our right we could see the marina, ahead of us sail boats were moored, and across the bay, over thirty miles away, we could see the sprawl of Naples and its suburbs. But most impressive was the constant presence of Vesuvius. The volcano was directly across the bay from our window! It loomed over the bay, dominating the vast panorama laid before us. I spent the afternoon in a lounger by the pool in the activity I had been awaiting for months: doing absolutely nothing. I didn’t read, or listen to music, or talk. I just reclined and watch the sea, sky, clouds, and sunlight. The sky was huge, a deep but clear blue. Gigantic clouds would pile up on the mountains behind us, reaching higher and higher in tiers of white and gray, until it seemed like they would finally reach the sun. Behind these, even higher yet, were distant cloudy wisps like remote veils flung from space by some goddess or angel. Banks of clouds would move past each other in what seemed to be some intricate pattern that you could eventually decipher if only you watched long enough, and they cast their shadows across parts of the shining water and blue-green landscape across the bay. Cloud shadows chased each other across the slopes of Vesuvius. Through all this, the sun shone clear and bright. I couldn’t decide if it was choreography, or a contest, or a battle, but the interplay of the elements was endlessly fascinating, and I watched it for hours. And beyond everything was that vast sky, so deep and clear and compelling that I almost felt that I could fall into it forever if I would just let go of my chair. Two of the most beautiful places I have ever been are the hills of Tuscany and the fjords of Norway. Here on the peninsula it seemed like the two had been combined and moved to the tropics.
Later that afternoon Gary and I walked into town. Since Sorrento is on the top of the cliff and our hotel is on the water, that meant walking uphill for twenty minutes. There are actually steps in places up the cliffs, but I didn’t relish the idea of a stairway of 500 steps so we stuck to the road. The town is filled with hotels, shops, and eateries specializing in the incredible seafood of the bay. One of the main crafts of the region is ceramics, and we passed shops filled with majolica painted with Renaissance patterns, country scenes, roosters, and the famous lemons of Sorrento. I had gone hog wild already on glass in Venice, so I restrained myself from stocking up on platters and pitchers which would never make it home in one piece. I settled for some nice hand-painted majolica wine and oil bottle-stoppers. Going back to the hotel was easier, since it was down hill. We stopped for dinner at a restaurant right on the water. In front of the restaurant were two and a half swordfish, caught just an hour or two before. Check Flickr; Gary got a pic of one just before they cut my steak off it. I had an antipasto of raw marinated seafood like Italian sushi: swordfish, salmon, and tuna in herbed oil with raw octopus (by now you have figured out that I like octopus the way I like Bernini and Bach). Gary had a tasty veal pizzaiola, and my steak was a cross-section of the swordfish, grilled over an oak fire.
Gary and I watched the sunset from our private terrace three floors about the pool deck. The sky slowly turned darker and deeper blue, but the clouds glowed orange from the sun long after it disappeared. All around the bay we could see the lights of the towns in the distance, and Naples was a glow slouched along the remote shore. Signals on ships in the bay sparkled on the dark water. The cliffs behind us were fragrant and rustling with the scent of orange and lemon, and over all slept the immense, quiet volcano. Gary took some great pictures of evening over the bay; check them out on Flickr.
It’s a good thing we had that rest yesterday, because last night we got no sleep at all. The hotel is beautiful, clean and comfortable. It’s also a sauna. Our room was about 90 degrees all night long. We just couldn’t sleep, and woke very early and showered (twice!) just to cool off. We did have a good breakfast at the hotel, and then ordered a cab to take us to the train station for Sorrento. However, a local couple stole our cab from us, so we walked around the corner to the taxi stand at the Duomo (you cannot hail cabs from the street in Italy; it’s illegal for the drivers to stop). Our amiable taxi driver whizzed through the horrid traffic of Naples. They are never going to clean up this city until they do something about the traffic.
Gary and I got out of the cab at the train station for the Circumvesuviana, the local electric train that goes around the towns at the base of Vesuvius and out to the Sorrentine peninsula. We rode first through the sprawling suburbs that surround Naples. What a study in contradiction! Rows of high-rise low-income housing alternate with truck gardens of vegetables for the area and for export. The soil is incredibly fertile because of the trace elements brought up from deep within the earth when Vesuvius erupts. This is the only place you can grow tomatoes and legally call them “San Marzano” tomatoes, the best kind for Italian sauces. We even saw herds of water buffalo, the critters that supply the milk for true mozzarella di bufala cheese. The real thing is nothing like the “mozzarella” you buy in the dairy case.
We finally left the suburbs and came to the series of small towns built on the coast of the Sorrentine peninsula. At the tip of the peninsula is Sorrento. This was originally the Roman town of Surrentum, a resort town even then. In the 18th and 19th centuries it became a popular vacation spot for Europeans, especially the British, because of its sunshine and natural beauty. I had spent one memorable afternoon and evening in Sorrento when I was messing around at Pompeii in grad school, and for years have wanted to go back. The train ends at Sorrento, and the town is built on the cliffs overlooking the bay. We caught a cab driven by a bald guy with a while handlebar moustache who sang arias from Rossini the entire trip (Rossini was Neapolitan, and is a local favorite). The streets are narrow and switch back and forth in tight, hairpin turns as they wind down the cliffs to the sea. The traffic was the opposite of Naples: everyone must constantly back up, pull over, and give way to oncoming traffic, and everyone does it with a wave and a smile. The town is beautiful, and so different than the great cities of Italy. Instead of the majestic marble ruins and terra-cotta colored pallazzi of Rome, the dignified Renaissance facades of Florence, or the riot of styles in Venice, there are simple but elegant houses and hotels painted lemon yellow, bright pink, and pastel green, the colors of sherbet. Everything is cheerful, sunny, and bright. The landscape is filled with lemon and orange trees in fruit.
Gary had made us reservations at the Hotel Admiral, an old British resort that has been very nicely renovated and painted bright yellow. The hotel is right on the water, and is the last one at the end of the marina. We had a sea-side third floor room with a private terrace over the water. The walls were white, with a cove ceiling in sea blues and greens, turquoise tile floors, blond wood furnishings, and blue and yellow linens. The bathroom was huge by European standards, and best of all, had a full-size tub with fixed shower head higher than my head. I had my first comfortable shower in three months! The tile in the bathroom had squid and cuttlefish painted on it. The management even left us a complimentary bottle of champagne in a chilled ice bucket. The lobby was bright and airy, with a bar attended by a liveried bartender. It opened onto a deck with swimming pool, built about fifteen feet up right over the sea. The pool was filled with sea water. Gary and I immediately cleaned up and headed for the pool.
The vistas in Sorrento are astounding. The huge blue sky looked even bigger when immense, billowing clouds floated overhead. The water of the bay rippled in an endlessly changing pattern of sapphire and turquoise in the sunlight. Behind us rose the cliffs with beautiful resorts on top, the steep slopes dotted with citrus trees. To our right we could see the marina, ahead of us sail boats were moored, and across the bay, over thirty miles away, we could see the sprawl of Naples and its suburbs. But most impressive was the constant presence of Vesuvius. The volcano was directly across the bay from our window! It loomed over the bay, dominating the vast panorama laid before us. I spent the afternoon in a lounger by the pool in the activity I had been awaiting for months: doing absolutely nothing. I didn’t read, or listen to music, or talk. I just reclined and watch the sea, sky, clouds, and sunlight. The sky was huge, a deep but clear blue. Gigantic clouds would pile up on the mountains behind us, reaching higher and higher in tiers of white and gray, until it seemed like they would finally reach the sun. Behind these, even higher yet, were distant cloudy wisps like remote veils flung from space by some goddess or angel. Banks of clouds would move past each other in what seemed to be some intricate pattern that you could eventually decipher if only you watched long enough, and they cast their shadows across parts of the shining water and blue-green landscape across the bay. Cloud shadows chased each other across the slopes of Vesuvius. Through all this, the sun shone clear and bright. I couldn’t decide if it was choreography, or a contest, or a battle, but the interplay of the elements was endlessly fascinating, and I watched it for hours. And beyond everything was that vast sky, so deep and clear and compelling that I almost felt that I could fall into it forever if I would just let go of my chair. Two of the most beautiful places I have ever been are the hills of Tuscany and the fjords of Norway. Here on the peninsula it seemed like the two had been combined and moved to the tropics.
Later that afternoon Gary and I walked into town. Since Sorrento is on the top of the cliff and our hotel is on the water, that meant walking uphill for twenty minutes. There are actually steps in places up the cliffs, but I didn’t relish the idea of a stairway of 500 steps so we stuck to the road. The town is filled with hotels, shops, and eateries specializing in the incredible seafood of the bay. One of the main crafts of the region is ceramics, and we passed shops filled with majolica painted with Renaissance patterns, country scenes, roosters, and the famous lemons of Sorrento. I had gone hog wild already on glass in Venice, so I restrained myself from stocking up on platters and pitchers which would never make it home in one piece. I settled for some nice hand-painted majolica wine and oil bottle-stoppers. Going back to the hotel was easier, since it was down hill. We stopped for dinner at a restaurant right on the water. In front of the restaurant were two and a half swordfish, caught just an hour or two before. Check Flickr; Gary got a pic of one just before they cut my steak off it. I had an antipasto of raw marinated seafood like Italian sushi: swordfish, salmon, and tuna in herbed oil with raw octopus (by now you have figured out that I like octopus the way I like Bernini and Bach). Gary had a tasty veal pizzaiola, and my steak was a cross-section of the swordfish, grilled over an oak fire.
Gary and I watched the sunset from our private terrace three floors about the pool deck. The sky slowly turned darker and deeper blue, but the clouds glowed orange from the sun long after it disappeared. All around the bay we could see the lights of the towns in the distance, and Naples was a glow slouched along the remote shore. Signals on ships in the bay sparkled on the dark water. The cliffs behind us were fragrant and rustling with the scent of orange and lemon, and over all slept the immense, quiet volcano. Gary took some great pictures of evening over the bay; check them out on Flickr.
Monday, June 9, 2008
See pics of "Angels and Demons" filming!
Gary and I were at the Pantheon in Rome today, and Gary realized that Tom Hanks and Ron Howard were right there in front of us, filming "Angels and Demons," the prequel to "The Da Vinci Code." Go to www.flickr.com/danielcmack to see Gary's pics of them filming the scene!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Pics on Flickr!
Pictures of Gary and Dan in Naples and at Pompeii are now on Flickr at www.flickr.com/danielcmack. Check them out! -Dan
Tuesday 3 June: A day at Pompeii; an evening at Spaccanapoli
We got up at 5 am today to get ready for our trip to the digs. We stopped at a caffè around the corner for coffee and cornetti, and caught a cab to the Circumvesuviana station. The Circumvesuviana is the local electric train that serves the communities around Vesuvius, the southern Bay of Naples, and the Sorrentine peninsula. The trip to Pompeii takes about a half hour. We arrived at the Pompeii Scavi stop and entered the site as it opened at 8:30 am. I recommend early arrival for several reasons. First, it’s less hot in the morning. Second, the light is better than when it is directly overhead. And third, everyone else goes late, and since Pompeii can get packed, it’s nice to be there when there are fewer people. Gary and I were alone most of the time. I’ve written about Pompeii before, and how amazing it is to walk through this town frozen in time and catastrophe. Just as I had a couple of months earlier with Beth, so Gary and I encountered many dogs, mostly sleeping in the sun. I lost my sun hat, but Gary found it for me (I had apparently taken it off in the Botanical Garden). We visited the Forum, with its basilica, monuments, and Temple of Capitoline Jupiter, as well as the temples of Isis and of Apollo. We spent a few hours in Pompeii, and saw the large and small theaters, a couple of the baths, and walked through the streets of shops, houses, and apartment buildings. It was pleasant out, sunny and warm but not hot, with a nice breeze. We enjoyed the quiet with so few visitors there.
In the afternoon we returned to Naples. After cleaning up in our room, we spent the evening hanging out in the old neighborhood of Spaccanapoli. We had a late lunch during which I had incredibly good seafood pasta (more octopus!). We ate gelato sitting on an old stone bench people-watching, which we later continued from an outdoor caffè. The people of Spaccanapoli are fascinating. The place is a zoo, and makes Trastevere look conservative. It seems like hairstyles of the early 1980’s are making a comeback here, especially for women. I haven’t seen such big hair since I was in college. The purple and orange lycra made a nice contrast to acid-washed denim and leopard-print stirrup pants. The two winning fashion statements both went to people over seventy. One was an elderly man, walking down the street in boxers and a wife beater, carrying his stove-top espresso pot. Gary said that he was just out of bed and looking for coffee. In the ladies’ category, the winner was a septuagenarian in tight zebra print pants who was picking through trash cans, occasionally crying out in glee as she discovered some treasure. Folks were everywhere on the narrow street, hanging out of windows and balconies, sitting on benches and in outdoor bars, or just leaning on the buildings hanging out. The traffic was incredible, much worse even than Rome. Vespas and even cars darted between the tables of outdoor caffès. Children much too young for drivers’ permits zipped their scooters in and out of the traffic, and cars and taxis barreled down the cobblestones with wild abandon. We saw old women lower baskets on strings from their fifth and sixth floor windows, waiting for a passer-by to take out a note and money, run an errand, and deliver the merchandise to the basket, which would then be raised back up to the window. We could have stayed there all night, but eventually we went in after a dinner of panini on the street, and went to bed.
In the afternoon we returned to Naples. After cleaning up in our room, we spent the evening hanging out in the old neighborhood of Spaccanapoli. We had a late lunch during which I had incredibly good seafood pasta (more octopus!). We ate gelato sitting on an old stone bench people-watching, which we later continued from an outdoor caffè. The people of Spaccanapoli are fascinating. The place is a zoo, and makes Trastevere look conservative. It seems like hairstyles of the early 1980’s are making a comeback here, especially for women. I haven’t seen such big hair since I was in college. The purple and orange lycra made a nice contrast to acid-washed denim and leopard-print stirrup pants. The two winning fashion statements both went to people over seventy. One was an elderly man, walking down the street in boxers and a wife beater, carrying his stove-top espresso pot. Gary said that he was just out of bed and looking for coffee. In the ladies’ category, the winner was a septuagenarian in tight zebra print pants who was picking through trash cans, occasionally crying out in glee as she discovered some treasure. Folks were everywhere on the narrow street, hanging out of windows and balconies, sitting on benches and in outdoor bars, or just leaning on the buildings hanging out. The traffic was incredible, much worse even than Rome. Vespas and even cars darted between the tables of outdoor caffès. Children much too young for drivers’ permits zipped their scooters in and out of the traffic, and cars and taxis barreled down the cobblestones with wild abandon. We saw old women lower baskets on strings from their fifth and sixth floor windows, waiting for a passer-by to take out a note and money, run an errand, and deliver the merchandise to the basket, which would then be raised back up to the window. We could have stayed there all night, but eventually we went in after a dinner of panini on the street, and went to bed.
Monday 2 June: Off to Naples, and an unplanned trip to Salerno
When we made our reservations for the train to Naples Rome Naples at 9:30 instead, which meant that we had to leave Rome
As we approached the city, the train ran parallel to the subway for a couple of stops. We were waiting for our stop, which had not yet appeared. I finally asked a train employee if this was our stop, and he said yes, but don’t get off yet. Then the train started moving, and I asked when we could get off. The guy said at the next stop. I asked where the next stop was, and he said
In
Gary and I cleaned up, unpacked, and strolled through Spaccanapoli, the old central part of town, a neighborhood of winding streets, shops, and five- to ten-story apartment buildings, mostly from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. We would explore this area in more detail later; now we were on our way to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, home to an outstanding collection of antiquities, including many of the most important and well-known finds from
The museum is full of frescos, mosaics, bronzes, and glass from the ancient world, especially
We left the museum and walked back to our hotel, stopping at the cathedral on our way home. The Duomo was literally around the corner; in fact, two walls of the courtyard around our piazza are formed by an angle of the church’s nave and transept. There was a nice variety of art and monuments in the cathedral, from the medieval period, through the Renaissance, Baroque and up to the present. We had dinner at a pizzeria in Spaccanapoli, only about three blocks from us, and then went to bed early, since tomorrow we were leaving early for
A quick note from the sunny south of Italy
Once again we have been without reliable or usable Internet access. Don't worry; I've been recording our experiences, and will soon post about our journey south, our unexpected visit to Salerno, the chaos of Naples, our trip to Pompeii, and several amazing days among the lemon groves, palm trees, sapphire sea, and sunshine on the Sorrentine peninsula and Amalfi Coast. Lots of pics coming soon to Flickr! -Dan
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Sunday 1 June: Gary’s top ten favorite phrases from his Italian phrase book
As we started packing for the Bay of Naples, Gary went through his Italian phrase book looking for useful items. He studied Italian in college, and has been getting around very well without a phrase book. This book has been useful primarily for its entertainment value. Gary picked out his favorites:
- I would like to take water skiing lessons. Vorrei prendere lezioni di sci d’acqua.
- Someone’s been knocked down! È stata investita una persona!
- He’s drowning! Sta annegando!
- There’s a burst pipe! Si e roto un tubo.
- The outlet in the bathroom doesn’t work. La presa di corrente del bagno non fuziana.
- What are the snow conditions like today? Quali sono le condizioni della neve oggi
- My son’s missing! Mio figlio è scomparso!
- The garbage has not been collected for a week. Non portanovia la spazzatura da una settimana. (This one might be useful in Napoli!)
- It hurts when you touch it. Mi fa male quando lo tocca.
- He’s passed out. È svenuto.
I detected a couple of themes in Gary’s phrases. Why don’t you see if you can combine them into a story?
Tomorrow: We leave for Napoli!
Thursday 29 May: Borghese in the rain
This morning it rained, but Gary and I didn’t care. We had timed admission to the Galleria Borghese, one of the world’s great art collections. The Villa Borghese is a park in the north of Rome, once a private estate of the Borghese, a princely family with many members serving as cardinals and Pope throughout the centuries. One of these was a great collector of ancient Greek and Roman art, and patron of artists of his day. The Villa Borghese was founded as a private park, with a palace in the center to display the art collection. Through the centuries the family added to the collection. A later prince married Napoleon’s sister Pauline. She posed nude for the sculptor Canova in the early 19th century; this statue is in the collection. Eventually the city bought the entire park and palace, which were then made available to the public.
The Galleria Borghese is one of the greatest art collections open to the public. The first floor is sculpture, including works of classical antiquity and later European sculptors. There are several works by Bernini, including his famous Apollo and Daphne, an amazing work showing the god pursuing the nymph, who turns into a tree to escape his amorous advances. The second floor of the palace features an incredible collection of painting, mostly Italian, and includes major works by Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Correggio, and other masters of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. If you ever get to Rome, and you have any interest at all in art, you must go to the Galleria Borghese!
The park of the Villa Borghese is a beautiful place to stroll, boat, and picnic. It was raining today, so Gary and I did not stay. I had been here in April with Beth, and Gary and I had a picnic here three years ago. I am sure we will be back before we leave Italy.
The Galleria Borghese is one of the greatest art collections open to the public. The first floor is sculpture, including works of classical antiquity and later European sculptors. There are several works by Bernini, including his famous Apollo and Daphne, an amazing work showing the god pursuing the nymph, who turns into a tree to escape his amorous advances. The second floor of the palace features an incredible collection of painting, mostly Italian, and includes major works by Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Correggio, and other masters of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. If you ever get to Rome, and you have any interest at all in art, you must go to the Galleria Borghese!
The park of the Villa Borghese is a beautiful place to stroll, boat, and picnic. It was raining today, so Gary and I did not stay. I had been here in April with Beth, and Gary and I had a picnic here three years ago. I am sure we will be back before we leave Italy.
Wednesday 28 May: Hot on the Gianicolo
It was roasting hot today, and I spent the morning doing research while Gary when to the palestra. In the afternoon we took a bus to the top of the Gianicolo. This hill, the ancient Janiculum, is a huge ridge on the west side of the Tiber. Trastevere lies at its foot, and north of the Gianicolo is the Vatican Hill. From the Gianicolo you get great views of Rome in all directions. Gary and I took some pics; check them out on Flickr.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Tuesday 27 May: Vatican and Lateran
The
Monday 26 May: Laundry, cats and palestra
took some great cat pics, which you can see on Flickr.
Being ambitious and eager to work out,
While I’m on the topic of
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