The travel gods have blessed Jim and I. Planes, trains (commuter and 'bullet'), cars (speed demonized Italian drivers sitting a paint coat away from the rear of our car!), minivans, and boats (from sardine can vaporetti to romantic gondolas). We have traveled them all and are now safely home. Mother Nature also looked kindly upon us. Florence gifted (?) us with one day of rain - torrential, but sporadic - nothing to ruin our day. Tuscany finally provided us with two thunderstorms, the likes of which we have never experienced, but they made their appearance at nighttime. Rather than being a hindrance, they provided a grandiose and exciting show of light and noise - Mother Nature's power. Perhaps, her warning that we must never ignore her! Sunshine and warm temperatures prevailed for the remainder of our entire trip. More frequently than not, the sky was blue without a cloud to be seen. Although my feet and quads may beg to differ, the health gods watched out for us. No stomach upsets, no colds, no injuries. Tuesday morning, sitting in the lounge at Fumincino, we watched an American woman being wheeled in in a wheel chair. She suffered a horrendous fall, underwent major surgery in Italy on her badly broken leg and was now on her way home. Air Canada's executive class pods were deemed her best mode of transportation for the long almost 10-hour trans-Atlantic. From Toronto she was scheduled to head home to Chicago. As I watched her struggle to the plane's washroom on crutches, all I could think was, "There but for the grace of god......"
We had barely begun to unpack, when one of our neighbours asked us what the highlight of our trip was. Funny thing, on our last night in Rome over a farewell dinner, Jim and I asked ourselves that very question. We then began to list magical moments, favourite locations, etc. Due to the non-stop, ever increasing list that we kept adding to over a half hour, we laughed and ceased the insanity of even attempting to create such a summary. Truthfully, this has been the trip of a lifteime. We both acknowledge that. Our first trip to Italia gave us a taste of this remarkable country. We knew that we must return! Our return has allowed us to vistit so many unforgettable historic sites, works of art, vistas, etc. that all we can do is wrap ourselves in memories of bella Italia and smile. It has all been the best! Italy - you have left your footprint on our hearts!
As I booked our journey, I nursed small misgivings about its length - 5 weeks! It is a long time to be living out of a suitcase. Not once, though, did we feel homesick. Small twinges of homesickness teased me when Michelle, our daughter-in-law, posted pictures of Morgan and Zachary apple picking. However, by this morning, packed and ready to go, I just wanted to GO HOME. Preparing to board, I glanced out of the large windows of Fumincino and there she was. That glorious red maple leaf on the tailwing of our Air Canada flight. No matter where we travel, when I see that symbol, my heart sings. For me, that symbol says, "home has come to get you!" and I love it!
Our trip home flew us over Corsica, Monaco, France and then, instead of taking the standard trans Atlantic route over Labrador, dipped us down over the Atlantic to avoid bad weather over Newfoundland. We did fly over Halifax (hi, George and Mary) and Peterborough (hi, Jo and Pete). And then we were home. Oh Canada!!!!!
So this is it for my blog! Next trip - most likely France. But for now - that's all folks!
Arriverderci! Ciao!
Wednesday 5 October 2011
Monday 3 October 2011
A Day of Nostalgia In Roma (Monday, October 3)
We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with Ray and Judy followed by some teary goodbyes as they prepared to head to the airport.
Jim's fondest desire today was to visit our two favorite sites and so off we set.
Four year's ago we spent many a night, sipping on a glass of wine, watching the world unfold while seated at the beautiful Trevi Fountain, which, by the way, is even more beautiful at nighttime. Three proposals of marriage actually took place before us. The Trevi almost fills up a the piazza and is Rome's most famous fountain. I refer to it as the 'rock star of fountains'. Everyone wants to be there! It is crowded, noisey and wonderful! The sculpture shows Neptune's chariot being led by Tritons with two sea horses. One sea horse, representing rough, threatening seas, is quite wild. The other, representing peaceful seas, appears calm. It is a tradition to throw a coin into the fountain to ensure your return to Rome. It worked for us before, so we wanted to guarantee a return! Who says we are superstitious? Upon our arrival, we found the Trevi with NO water and filled with workmen. Ah, no! Crowds still surrounded the fountain. Jim and I decided to take a seat, wondering how to throw a coin into a waterless fountain filled with workmen. Miracle of miracles, the crews vacated the fountain and to the great roar and cheers of the crowd, water began to pour out. Our coins made their mark, guaranteeing our return!!
Next on our list was the 2000 year old Pantheon. Truthfully, it is the most impressive site in Rome with construction that boggles the mind. Beautiful Roman bronze doors welcome one inside. The interior dimensions of this once temple are massive. The extraordinary dome, with it's famous oculus, has puzzled modern engineers as to how the ancient Romans ever conceived of and constructed such a sophisticated structure of unreinforced concrete. Raphael is buried here. We could not have experienced a better day for a visit. Sunlight shone through the oculus, reflecting on the adjacent wall. What a magnificent site.
Jim and I wound our way through the narrow streets back to our hotel. It has been an afternoon of printing off boarding passes, calculating customs' declarations (ugh!) and packing (more ughs!) Tomorrow we head back to Canada! A farewell dinner tonight, a good night's sleep and we are ready!
Arriverderci Roma!
Jim's fondest desire today was to visit our two favorite sites and so off we set.
Four year's ago we spent many a night, sipping on a glass of wine, watching the world unfold while seated at the beautiful Trevi Fountain, which, by the way, is even more beautiful at nighttime. Three proposals of marriage actually took place before us. The Trevi almost fills up a the piazza and is Rome's most famous fountain. I refer to it as the 'rock star of fountains'. Everyone wants to be there! It is crowded, noisey and wonderful! The sculpture shows Neptune's chariot being led by Tritons with two sea horses. One sea horse, representing rough, threatening seas, is quite wild. The other, representing peaceful seas, appears calm. It is a tradition to throw a coin into the fountain to ensure your return to Rome. It worked for us before, so we wanted to guarantee a return! Who says we are superstitious? Upon our arrival, we found the Trevi with NO water and filled with workmen. Ah, no! Crowds still surrounded the fountain. Jim and I decided to take a seat, wondering how to throw a coin into a waterless fountain filled with workmen. Miracle of miracles, the crews vacated the fountain and to the great roar and cheers of the crowd, water began to pour out. Our coins made their mark, guaranteeing our return!!
Next on our list was the 2000 year old Pantheon. Truthfully, it is the most impressive site in Rome with construction that boggles the mind. Beautiful Roman bronze doors welcome one inside. The interior dimensions of this once temple are massive. The extraordinary dome, with it's famous oculus, has puzzled modern engineers as to how the ancient Romans ever conceived of and constructed such a sophisticated structure of unreinforced concrete. Raphael is buried here. We could not have experienced a better day for a visit. Sunlight shone through the oculus, reflecting on the adjacent wall. What a magnificent site.
Jim and I wound our way through the narrow streets back to our hotel. It has been an afternoon of printing off boarding passes, calculating customs' declarations (ugh!) and packing (more ughs!) Tomorrow we head back to Canada! A farewell dinner tonight, a good night's sleep and we are ready!
Arriverderci Roma!
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly...Tourists, That Is! (Sunday, October 2)
We have watched two American tourists storm out of a tiny trattoria in a small out-of-the-way Amalfi village (Marina di Priai) because the tratorria menu was only in Italian and the Italian speaking owner was unable to translate. In Venice we witnessed a frail elderly Venetian woman, lugging groceries over one of the many bridges, almost knocked to the ground by a group of oblivious "lemmings" surging over the bridge in pursuit of their umbrella toting leader. The lady did not crash to the ground only because Jim grabbed her. We have seen tourists totally ignoring "no photo" signs, taking flash pictures of precious tapestries, mosaics, etc. Small wonder the Galleria Borghese has such strict visitor rules! I appreciate that tourism brings much needed money into countries, but I wonder how out of control, this has all become.
I am on another rant because of something Judy told me today.
We realized this morning that all of the sites in Trastevere that we wished to see would be unavailable as it is Sunday. Because ancient Rome is closed to traffic on Sundays, we decided to hike around the ancient city and enjoy the sites on this glorious sunny day. Four years ago, Jim and I spent quite a bit of time under Constantine's Arch, inspecting the historic carvings telling the tale of Constantine's triumphant return to Rome. The carvings were magnificent. On our arrival today, the Arch was surrounded by high cast iron pickets. What? Why no access? Judy explained to me that the guide they had hired when they arrived in Rome at the beginning of September told them that Rome has become a city of fences, because tourists are chipping off souvenirs from historic sites ( Constantines Arch, the Coliseum, favourite fountains, etc.)to take home. Are you kidding me? Matt would say WTF? That would explain why we found Neptune's Fountain (actually all three fountains)in Piazza Navona yesterday to be surrounded by similar fencing. Jim and I sat on the edge of that beautiful fountain four years ago, enjoying the sculpture and sound of the water. No longer possible! Dear god, why do some tourists feel they have the right to so upset the countries they are visiting. The ancient sites in Rome truly belong to the world! I am so upset! Traveling, I have always thought, should provide us with the opportunity to learn how other societies were formed (their history)and how they live. We have so much to learn from each other. When did this morph into the right (?) to damage historic sites, disobey rules and interfere with local lives?
I love Rome. This second visit has more than solidified those emotions. But now I feel embarrassed to be a tourist!
Arriverderci!
I am on another rant because of something Judy told me today.
We realized this morning that all of the sites in Trastevere that we wished to see would be unavailable as it is Sunday. Because ancient Rome is closed to traffic on Sundays, we decided to hike around the ancient city and enjoy the sites on this glorious sunny day. Four years ago, Jim and I spent quite a bit of time under Constantine's Arch, inspecting the historic carvings telling the tale of Constantine's triumphant return to Rome. The carvings were magnificent. On our arrival today, the Arch was surrounded by high cast iron pickets. What? Why no access? Judy explained to me that the guide they had hired when they arrived in Rome at the beginning of September told them that Rome has become a city of fences, because tourists are chipping off souvenirs from historic sites ( Constantines Arch, the Coliseum, favourite fountains, etc.)to take home. Are you kidding me? Matt would say WTF? That would explain why we found Neptune's Fountain (actually all three fountains)in Piazza Navona yesterday to be surrounded by similar fencing. Jim and I sat on the edge of that beautiful fountain four years ago, enjoying the sculpture and sound of the water. No longer possible! Dear god, why do some tourists feel they have the right to so upset the countries they are visiting. The ancient sites in Rome truly belong to the world! I am so upset! Traveling, I have always thought, should provide us with the opportunity to learn how other societies were formed (their history)and how they live. We have so much to learn from each other. When did this morph into the right (?) to damage historic sites, disobey rules and interfere with local lives?
I love Rome. This second visit has more than solidified those emotions. But now I feel embarrassed to be a tourist!
Arriverderci!
Sunday 2 October 2011
It Dices! It Slices!..... ( Saturday, October 1)
Judy and Ray, Jim and I have been to Rome before. The draw this time, aside from just being in The Eternal City, was to visit areas not covered before, so this morning, we chose four destinations.
First on the list was a climb of St. Peter's - the dome, that is. Of course this was Jim's cruel idea. Soon I may be forced to " keel" him! My quads and legs, at this point in our trip, don't know whether to scream or just go along with another day of pure torture!?!? To beat the massive crowds of tourists, we headed out early and were actually the first to begin our ascent. Because of the tight and confined corridors in the upper levels, my claustrophobia told me to remain at the first, which both Judy and I did. At this level the views down into the altar area and up into the cupola are stunning. The workmanship in the cupola mosaics is in plain view. The massive size and intricacies of these are even more remarkable when you realize the era in which construction took place. My mind continues to be boggled with the "how's". Jim and Ray were rewarded for their climb with the ultimate view over Rome and St. Peter's Square on a clear day with not a cloud in the sky.
As a Bernini groupie, I was more than a little disappointed during our last visit to his Four Rivers fountain in Piazza Navona, to find the fountain covered by cleaners' scaffolding. So...we now headed off for Piazza Novona. There are actually three fountains in the piazza,
but the Four Rivers is the draw. At the time of Bernini's work, only four continents were
known; they are represented by four rivers - The Ganges, The Nile, The Platte and the Danube. Well, there she was in her full and clean glory. This groupie is satisfied!
Rome's market - Campo de' - was next. Unlike Venice's market which is restricted to fresh produce, meats and fish, Campo de' Fiori is about as crazy as the drivers in it's city.
Everything is for sale. Stalls sell inviting looking foods, clothing, jewelry, cooking
gadgets...........Hawkers in their stalls yell out deals. This is Rome - chaos on the roads
and chaos in it's open market. I love it! At one stall, an elderly Italian gentleman was
selling wonky gadgets for slicing, dicing and whatever preparation you can dream, food. His
sales spiel was hysterical and before we knew it, Jim was his pitch man demonstrating gadgets.
Looks like our Jim may have found a new career!
Trastevere is a 17th C. area of Rome characterized by ochre-colored buildings covered in ivy, narrow cobblestones streets and even the typical Italian laundry hanging between buildings. We decided to wander through on our way back to the hotel. The area was so bewitching that our consensus was do do a walking tour of the area tomorrow.
Arriving back at the hotel around 4:30, we asked our hotel owner for a ristorante recommendation. This is when staying at a smaller Italian hotel truly pays off. Their owners are usually well acquainted with the local neighborhood. Peter sent us to a little hole-in-the-wall (and I am not exaggerating) called Gilberto's which he said serves the best fish in Rome. We enjoyed the most extraordinary meal. Gilberto's serves no meat, but every conceivable type of fish or seafood is available. The osteria was tiny, the diners chatty, while Italians (there is the key!) lined up outside waiting for a table.
A domani!
First on the list was a climb of St. Peter's - the dome, that is. Of course this was Jim's cruel idea. Soon I may be forced to " keel" him! My quads and legs, at this point in our trip, don't know whether to scream or just go along with another day of pure torture!?!? To beat the massive crowds of tourists, we headed out early and were actually the first to begin our ascent. Because of the tight and confined corridors in the upper levels, my claustrophobia told me to remain at the first, which both Judy and I did. At this level the views down into the altar area and up into the cupola are stunning. The workmanship in the cupola mosaics is in plain view. The massive size and intricacies of these are even more remarkable when you realize the era in which construction took place. My mind continues to be boggled with the "how's". Jim and Ray were rewarded for their climb with the ultimate view over Rome and St. Peter's Square on a clear day with not a cloud in the sky.
As a Bernini groupie, I was more than a little disappointed during our last visit to his Four Rivers fountain in Piazza Navona, to find the fountain covered by cleaners' scaffolding. So...we now headed off for Piazza Novona. There are actually three fountains in the piazza,
but the Four Rivers is the draw. At the time of Bernini's work, only four continents were
known; they are represented by four rivers - The Ganges, The Nile, The Platte and the Danube. Well, there she was in her full and clean glory. This groupie is satisfied!
Rome's market - Campo de' - was next. Unlike Venice's market which is restricted to fresh produce, meats and fish, Campo de' Fiori is about as crazy as the drivers in it's city.
Everything is for sale. Stalls sell inviting looking foods, clothing, jewelry, cooking
gadgets...........Hawkers in their stalls yell out deals. This is Rome - chaos on the roads
and chaos in it's open market. I love it! At one stall, an elderly Italian gentleman was
selling wonky gadgets for slicing, dicing and whatever preparation you can dream, food. His
sales spiel was hysterical and before we knew it, Jim was his pitch man demonstrating gadgets.
Looks like our Jim may have found a new career!
Trastevere is a 17th C. area of Rome characterized by ochre-colored buildings covered in ivy, narrow cobblestones streets and even the typical Italian laundry hanging between buildings. We decided to wander through on our way back to the hotel. The area was so bewitching that our consensus was do do a walking tour of the area tomorrow.
Arriving back at the hotel around 4:30, we asked our hotel owner for a ristorante recommendation. This is when staying at a smaller Italian hotel truly pays off. Their owners are usually well acquainted with the local neighborhood. Peter sent us to a little hole-in-the-wall (and I am not exaggerating) called Gilberto's which he said serves the best fish in Rome. We enjoyed the most extraordinary meal. Gilberto's serves no meat, but every conceivable type of fish or seafood is available. The osteria was tiny, the diners chatty, while Italians (there is the key!) lined up outside waiting for a table.
A domani!
Friday 30 September 2011
A Sculptor, A Painter...and A Surprise (Friday, September 30)
I am an avid fan of two artists - Bernini, the sculptor and Caravaggio, the painter. I frankly admit that had I lived in the early 1600's, I would have been a Bernini groupie. Did they have fan clubs back then?
A regret after our last visit to Rome was that we did not see the Borghese Gallery. We had not realized that reservations were required. Many experts say that if you can only visit one museum during your Roman visit, make it this one. And so, we got smart, booking months in advance. Visits are strictly limited in number of visitors and time spent in the Galleria - 2 hours! The system works far better than that in Florence's Uffizi.
This morning we hiked up to the Galleria, leaving our hotel near St. Peter's, winding our way along the Tiber, crossing at Ponte St Margherita into Piazza del Popolo and then up into the Borghese Gardens. Jo, I know you will appreciate the distance covered!!
Piazza del Popolo is a huge Roman square. It is anchored in it's centre by a 10-story obelisk. The obelisk was initially brought from the Ramses II temple and erected in Circus Maximus where the infamous chariot races took place. It was ultimately moved to the piazza. How, I wonder, did they move and erect this monument twice? There was no Amherst Crane company, no large flat-bed trucks. These questions constantly move through my mind when it comes to Roman ingenuity.
The Borghese Gardens are Rome's version of Central Park. As such, they provide a green, shady and peaceful oasis from the madness that is sometimes this crazy, wonderful city.
Within the Gardens is the Borghese Galleria. You are required to be present 30 minutes before your appointment. This early arrival is to prepare you for entry - no cameras, no bags, no backpacks, no purses. Just you, your audio guide and the most magnificent art.
I am not going to bore you with a description of all we saw. Bernini's David, although less famous that Michelangelo's earlier version, is actually a finer piece. I do have to mention one piece which Bernini felt was his greatest achievement - Apollo and Daphne ( great name, eh?). I am now going to quote Rick Steeves in his description. "...... capturing a thrilling, action-filled moment. In the mythological story, Apollo races after Daphne. Just as he's about to catch her, she calls to her father to save her. Magically, her fingers begin to sprout leaves, her toes become roots, her skin turns to bark, and she transforms into a tree. Frustrated Apollo will end up with a handful of leaves." Jim and I spent at least a half hour in this room with this sculpture. It is truly a masterpiece. The audio tour mentions that the team cleaning the sculpture noted that the leaves carved by Bernini are so thin that when touched ring in the manner of crystal glSs being pinged. Again, my mind asks how. How did Bernini look at that block of marble and see this? How did Bernini, using the limited equipment of the time, carve a piece so fine? I am in awe.
The Caravaggio Room contains many of his famous paintings. We had the luxury of not too many tourists and the time to feast on his gritty, moody representations of the time.
Back to St. Peter's Basillica we hiked. This visit was to take in Michelangelo's Pieta and other Bernini works.
Sore feet and legs drove us back to our hotel. And now some fun began.
Judy Gage is a friend of mine, dating back to old Royal LePage days. Jim and I became good friends of Judy and Ray's, even visiting them in Victoria after their move west. The last time we saw Judy and Ray was in 2009 when they visited at Christmastime. I am a terrible communicator (to which George and Mary Buckrell will attest!). Jude and I talk once or twice a year as our lives take us in different directions. Judy is on Facebook, but rarely uses it. For some unknown reason the day I posted "8 weeks and counting..." on Facebook and then replied to Melissa's query with an explanation of our trip, Judy accessed FB. She called me immediately at home to find out when and where we were going to be in Italy. To make a long story short, we were scheduled to be in Rome at the same time. Now!! Without telling Ray, she booked the same hotel. Jim figured out what was happening, but Ray remained in the dark. Upon our return to the hotel, we asked the front desk staff if the Ego's were yet here. The answer was that they had just arrived. Jim grabbed a bottle on wine and knocked on their door, "Servizo di camera" (room service). When Ray opened the door, all hell broke loose. Lots of hugs and kisses, laughter, a bottle of wine on the roof garden and then dinner last night. What fun! It has been a great day!
A domani!
A regret after our last visit to Rome was that we did not see the Borghese Gallery. We had not realized that reservations were required. Many experts say that if you can only visit one museum during your Roman visit, make it this one. And so, we got smart, booking months in advance. Visits are strictly limited in number of visitors and time spent in the Galleria - 2 hours! The system works far better than that in Florence's Uffizi.
This morning we hiked up to the Galleria, leaving our hotel near St. Peter's, winding our way along the Tiber, crossing at Ponte St Margherita into Piazza del Popolo and then up into the Borghese Gardens. Jo, I know you will appreciate the distance covered!!
Piazza del Popolo is a huge Roman square. It is anchored in it's centre by a 10-story obelisk. The obelisk was initially brought from the Ramses II temple and erected in Circus Maximus where the infamous chariot races took place. It was ultimately moved to the piazza. How, I wonder, did they move and erect this monument twice? There was no Amherst Crane company, no large flat-bed trucks. These questions constantly move through my mind when it comes to Roman ingenuity.
The Borghese Gardens are Rome's version of Central Park. As such, they provide a green, shady and peaceful oasis from the madness that is sometimes this crazy, wonderful city.
Within the Gardens is the Borghese Galleria. You are required to be present 30 minutes before your appointment. This early arrival is to prepare you for entry - no cameras, no bags, no backpacks, no purses. Just you, your audio guide and the most magnificent art.
I am not going to bore you with a description of all we saw. Bernini's David, although less famous that Michelangelo's earlier version, is actually a finer piece. I do have to mention one piece which Bernini felt was his greatest achievement - Apollo and Daphne ( great name, eh?). I am now going to quote Rick Steeves in his description. "...... capturing a thrilling, action-filled moment. In the mythological story, Apollo races after Daphne. Just as he's about to catch her, she calls to her father to save her. Magically, her fingers begin to sprout leaves, her toes become roots, her skin turns to bark, and she transforms into a tree. Frustrated Apollo will end up with a handful of leaves." Jim and I spent at least a half hour in this room with this sculpture. It is truly a masterpiece. The audio tour mentions that the team cleaning the sculpture noted that the leaves carved by Bernini are so thin that when touched ring in the manner of crystal glSs being pinged. Again, my mind asks how. How did Bernini look at that block of marble and see this? How did Bernini, using the limited equipment of the time, carve a piece so fine? I am in awe.
The Caravaggio Room contains many of his famous paintings. We had the luxury of not too many tourists and the time to feast on his gritty, moody representations of the time.
Back to St. Peter's Basillica we hiked. This visit was to take in Michelangelo's Pieta and other Bernini works.
Sore feet and legs drove us back to our hotel. And now some fun began.
Judy Gage is a friend of mine, dating back to old Royal LePage days. Jim and I became good friends of Judy and Ray's, even visiting them in Victoria after their move west. The last time we saw Judy and Ray was in 2009 when they visited at Christmastime. I am a terrible communicator (to which George and Mary Buckrell will attest!). Jude and I talk once or twice a year as our lives take us in different directions. Judy is on Facebook, but rarely uses it. For some unknown reason the day I posted "8 weeks and counting..." on Facebook and then replied to Melissa's query with an explanation of our trip, Judy accessed FB. She called me immediately at home to find out when and where we were going to be in Italy. To make a long story short, we were scheduled to be in Rome at the same time. Now!! Without telling Ray, she booked the same hotel. Jim figured out what was happening, but Ray remained in the dark. Upon our return to the hotel, we asked the front desk staff if the Ego's were yet here. The answer was that they had just arrived. Jim grabbed a bottle on wine and knocked on their door, "Servizo di camera" (room service). When Ray opened the door, all hell broke loose. Lots of hugs and kisses, laughter, a bottle of wine on the roof garden and then dinner last night. What fun! It has been a great day!
A domani!
Thursday 29 September 2011
Trenitalia Per Roma (Thursday, September 29)
At 6:30 a.m. I arose and opened the window to our hotel room. The sun was rising, the night's lights were still glowing, and Venice was just awakening. The city wore a gentle peach colored sheen. Vaporetti carried a few early risers; taxi boats were jostling into place for the morning rush. What a view! Hard to believe that within a few hours we would be saying goodbye to this city of water we have so thoroughly enjoyed.
Our Eurostar train to Rome was the "bullet", making stops in Bologna and Florence and then rushing onto Rome. We were transported from the Adriatic in the north, south to almost on the Mediterranean in under four hours. I must say it again - our train was scheduled to depart at 9:27 a.m. Which it did right on the second! Love you Trenitalia.
My book was out ready to read, but I could not take my eyes off the passing countryside. From Venice to Bologna, the landscape looks almost like our prairies- flat as a pancake. With the exception of small towns along the way, every inch of land is being cultivated with a crop. When you are a small country with a large population, you do not waste your arable land.
As we blew through Bologna, Jim looked up from his newspaper as said straight-faced, "look and see if Bologna's suburbs are named Salami". Such are the trials of traveling with Jim!?!?
Once past Bologna, I waited with great anticipation for glimpses of the Tuscan countryside. We were now in Tuscany all right. Problem? Tuscany is hill country. The track ran through a series of extremely long tunnels carved though the hills. It was like being on the Toronto subway, only without the stops! And then, south of Florence, there they were - cypress trees, little hill towns, tidy row upon tidy row of grapevines, olive groves..... Goodbye to
Tuscany, too!
And then into Rome we roared. The drive to our hotel was like watching a river of cars move without purpose or destination. Traffic in Rome takes on a life of it's own. Sort of like trees in a raging river during a flood. How anyone in this city drives and survives is a total mystery to me. It's a miracle, I guess! We have arrived at our hotel (in one piece, I might add), wandered the streets around St.Peter's Basillica, treated ourselves to a gelato (yum) and are now sitting on the roof garden journelling and blogging. We have four glorious days in Rome to see some of what we did not get to during our previous visit, although I think that the Coliseum is once again calling to Jim.
Ciao!
Our Eurostar train to Rome was the "bullet", making stops in Bologna and Florence and then rushing onto Rome. We were transported from the Adriatic in the north, south to almost on the Mediterranean in under four hours. I must say it again - our train was scheduled to depart at 9:27 a.m. Which it did right on the second! Love you Trenitalia.
My book was out ready to read, but I could not take my eyes off the passing countryside. From Venice to Bologna, the landscape looks almost like our prairies- flat as a pancake. With the exception of small towns along the way, every inch of land is being cultivated with a crop. When you are a small country with a large population, you do not waste your arable land.
As we blew through Bologna, Jim looked up from his newspaper as said straight-faced, "look and see if Bologna's suburbs are named Salami". Such are the trials of traveling with Jim!?!?
Once past Bologna, I waited with great anticipation for glimpses of the Tuscan countryside. We were now in Tuscany all right. Problem? Tuscany is hill country. The track ran through a series of extremely long tunnels carved though the hills. It was like being on the Toronto subway, only without the stops! And then, south of Florence, there they were - cypress trees, little hill towns, tidy row upon tidy row of grapevines, olive groves..... Goodbye to
Tuscany, too!
And then into Rome we roared. The drive to our hotel was like watching a river of cars move without purpose or destination. Traffic in Rome takes on a life of it's own. Sort of like trees in a raging river during a flood. How anyone in this city drives and survives is a total mystery to me. It's a miracle, I guess! We have arrived at our hotel (in one piece, I might add), wandered the streets around St.Peter's Basillica, treated ourselves to a gelato (yum) and are now sitting on the roof garden journelling and blogging. We have four glorious days in Rome to see some of what we did not get to during our previous visit, although I think that the Coliseum is once again calling to Jim.
Ciao!
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Basilicas : 2 Jim and Daf: 0. (Wednesday, September 28)
Today was our walking day! See if we could work your way around Venice and not get lost.
First on our agenda was the Realto Market. The market is a series of "campos" along the Grand Canal, congregated along the narrow alleyways in the area. It is honestly a sea of fruit and vegetable stalls piled high with inviting fruits, vegetables and dolce. Fresh herbs, a truly amazing array of mushrooms, mouthwatering figs, and the list goes on. The neo-Gothic porticos also house the daily fish market. There were creatures of the sea here that neither Jim nor I could identify. The markets are populated with curious tourists such as we, with restauranteurs purchasing produce for the day, and with average Venetians doing their grocery shopping. Jim commented that we would eat differently given the opportunity to shop in this fashion.
Then it was on to finding St Mark's Square in the maze of twisting streets. Hallelujah, we did it! The tides are up and St.Mark's today was partially flooded. Quite the sight! Makeshift pedestrian bridges crossed the flooded areas. If anything, the Venetians are resourceful! The Basillica, our main destination had lineups worse than on Sunday. The wait was almost two hours. It was not happening! That makes two Basillicas we have attempted to visit (Florence and Venice), but failed to do so because of massive crowds. Who says travel in September is easy? Oops! That would be us! We may have to re-evaluate,
Not to be defeated, we hiked down to the Naval Museum. Miracle of miracles, it was open. The museum is owned by the Italian navy and they have done an admirable (get the pathetic pun?)job of preserving and documenting their past. Of particular interest to me was the large room dedicated to gondolas. Amongst the gondolas on display was Peggy Guggenheim's, donated to the
museum after her death.
We walked the whole way back -quite the hike - successfully. What is all of this stuff about getting lost in Venice?
Tonight's dinner was on the canal at our favourite trattoria. Tomorrow we day goodbye in the morning to this city which has snuck it's way into our hearts. Where to tomorrow? The final days of our journey (sob!) return us to Roma, The Eternal City!
Arriverderci!
First on our agenda was the Realto Market. The market is a series of "campos" along the Grand Canal, congregated along the narrow alleyways in the area. It is honestly a sea of fruit and vegetable stalls piled high with inviting fruits, vegetables and dolce. Fresh herbs, a truly amazing array of mushrooms, mouthwatering figs, and the list goes on. The neo-Gothic porticos also house the daily fish market. There were creatures of the sea here that neither Jim nor I could identify. The markets are populated with curious tourists such as we, with restauranteurs purchasing produce for the day, and with average Venetians doing their grocery shopping. Jim commented that we would eat differently given the opportunity to shop in this fashion.
Then it was on to finding St Mark's Square in the maze of twisting streets. Hallelujah, we did it! The tides are up and St.Mark's today was partially flooded. Quite the sight! Makeshift pedestrian bridges crossed the flooded areas. If anything, the Venetians are resourceful! The Basillica, our main destination had lineups worse than on Sunday. The wait was almost two hours. It was not happening! That makes two Basillicas we have attempted to visit (Florence and Venice), but failed to do so because of massive crowds. Who says travel in September is easy? Oops! That would be us! We may have to re-evaluate,
Not to be defeated, we hiked down to the Naval Museum. Miracle of miracles, it was open. The museum is owned by the Italian navy and they have done an admirable (get the pathetic pun?)job of preserving and documenting their past. Of particular interest to me was the large room dedicated to gondolas. Amongst the gondolas on display was Peggy Guggenheim's, donated to the
museum after her death.
We walked the whole way back -quite the hike - successfully. What is all of this stuff about getting lost in Venice?
Tonight's dinner was on the canal at our favourite trattoria. Tomorrow we day goodbye in the morning to this city which has snuck it's way into our hearts. Where to tomorrow? The final days of our journey (sob!) return us to Roma, The Eternal City!
Arriverderci!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)