Hello-
I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday.
J and I are in Amsterdam where it is very cold and very rainy.
We walked around this morning and went to the Amsterdam History Museum and got very wet doing it so we took a little break to dry off and watch the old movie 6 days 7 nights (you watch what you have to).
Now we are headed back out to enjoy rainy Amsterdam.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Hello from Germany
Hello
I hope everyone is enjoying Amy as the host of mz blog. Thanks Amy!
Its very fun for me to see all the pictures that we took!
Today is our last night in Germany, we are in the Rhine Valley in Bacharach.
It is very rainy and very cold here but we still took a boat ride down the Rhine and walked around... (thank goodness for raincoats)
Tomorrow we head for Amsterdam and then fly home on Tuesday..
As soon as I get home I am going to put more pictures up of places like Florence, Cinque Terre, Germany, Amsterdam...etc..
I also might put all the pics up on Shutterfly so you can look at the whole album!
I will update with that information later....
Tonight we are rounding our trip in Germany with some fine Germany beer, actually you might find it funny that we drink wine instead of beer but Bacharach is proud of their wine...
i am off to do that...
I hope everyone is enjoying Amy as the host of mz blog. Thanks Amy!
Its very fun for me to see all the pictures that we took!
Today is our last night in Germany, we are in the Rhine Valley in Bacharach.
It is very rainy and very cold here but we still took a boat ride down the Rhine and walked around... (thank goodness for raincoats)
Tomorrow we head for Amsterdam and then fly home on Tuesday..
As soon as I get home I am going to put more pictures up of places like Florence, Cinque Terre, Germany, Amsterdam...etc..
I also might put all the pics up on Shutterfly so you can look at the whole album!
I will update with that information later....
Tonight we are rounding our trip in Germany with some fine Germany beer, actually you might find it funny that we drink wine instead of beer but Bacharach is proud of their wine...
i am off to do that...
Next stop, Naples & Pompeii
We caught a train down to Naples and then we headed straight to Pompeii. It was a sight to behold, especially with Mt. Vesuvius in the background. We saw some interesting art that had been preserved on the houses (indicating the perfect balance, verility and wealth). Then we headed back to Naples. Since it's the birth place of pizza, we had to partake, and it was good! Next stop, Venice!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Roma Day 3
Our third day in Rome was another busy day. Though, we got a later start. J went in the morning to do much needed laundry. Lucky for him, the laundromat did the laundry for him so he was able to check the scores of the game and do some needed internet activity. Pam and I got to sleep in! It was wonderful. When J returned we went to our favorite lunch spot. I think we ate it every day. We called it "fold over pizza". You ordered pizza and they cut how much you wanted then heated it in an oven and then folded the pizza onto itself and you ate it like a sandwhich. It was so good!
Our first stop was the Colloseum. It was even more impressive in the daylight. We were able to see where they think the emperor's box was. It's marked by a cross. You could see into the "pit" where they kept the gladiators and the animals. They built a floor over part of the pit so you can get a better image of what it looked like. In the picture, it's towards the back.
The Colloseum was built in 80 AD. It's real name is Anfiteatro Flavio or The Flavian Amphitheater. It was used as an arena for gladiator contests and spectator sports. It could accomodate 50,000 fans. Only a third of the Colloseum remains. Earthquakes destroyed some of it but most was used for other buildings during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. From the Colloseum we had an excellent view of the Roman Forum and the Arch of Constantine.
From there we passed the Arch of Constantine and then on to the Roman Forum. The Arch represents when Emperor Constantine defeated his rival Maxentius in the battle of the milvian bridge. This one battle turned him Christian and thus the entire empire. The Arch represents that change.
The Roman Forum was the political, religious, and commercial center of the city. Rome's most important temples and halls of justice were here. We walked down the via Sacra which runs through the trees, past the Senate building, and up Capital Hill. It was amazing how much history took place here and how old things were. So old!
We saw the Temple of Julius - where his body was burned after his death. He was then later made a god and the temple was dedicated to him. The picture is of the inside - his "burial" site.
Then the Senate building which was built in 283 AD. It fit 300 hundred senators. It is so well preserved because it was used as a church since the early Christian times. In the 1930s it was restored and opened to the public as a historic site. We thought it was open but twas not. The Senate building is the one on the right in the picture.
The Column of Phocas is from 608 AD. It was a figt from the Byzantine Empire to a fallen Rome. It was a gift to commemorate the Pantheon's becoming a Christian Church. And then.. Rome Fell...
On to the Palatine Hill! The Palatine Hill houses a courtyard, stadium, palace, a view of circus maximus and a great view of Rome. The 15,000 sq. ft palace was built by Emperor Domitian in 81 AD. It was described as so grand it made "Jupiter jealous".
This is a fountain in the lower courtyard and could be viewed from the upper level (where we were standing) or from the rooms around it on the lower level.
It was refreshing being on the Palatine Hill because we were able to get away from the crowds.
More of the palace.
After the Palatine Hill, we had lots more ground to cover so we stared the trek to the Pantheon. The Pantheon was a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods. The original temple was built in 27 BC. The current structure is a result of a couple of fires and had been completely rebuilt around 120 AD. Its dome was the model for the Florence cathedral dome which influenced the dome of St. Peter's and finally the dome of the US Capital building. The dome is made of concrete and is 23 ft thick at the base. It is as high as it is wide, 142 ft. It is a site to behold. It's also going to celebrate it's 1400th anniversary as a church. The oculus at the top is the only source of light for the building and 30 feet across.
The Pantheon also houses the final resting place of famous painter Rafael Santi (known as Rafael). The painting above his tomb was commissioned by him for his tomb.
After the Pantheon we went on a church expedition. We toured about 4 churches in the area. While looking for the churches, I found my first canoli of Italy! Yummy! Some of the churches and buildings have a flood line from when Rome flooded in 1870. So much water! Some of the churches were affected and the artwork was affected from the flood line down.
While touring the churches we saw the body of St. Catherine of Sienna (her head is in Sienna), the tomb of St. Francis Xavier, Michaelangelo's Christ Bearing the Cross. And lots in between. On the walk back, we encountered the "cat zoo" it's an area of Rome actually in ruins where there are tons of cats. Sadly, I can't remember the name of the ruins.
We headed back and freshened up. We headed to dinner at a more upscale restaurant. J had a red wine infused steak, Pam had pumpkin ravioli, I had mussel risotto, that was for 1st course. for appetizers (first) we had the house specialty which had sausage and like 7 dishes total. Then as if we hadn't eaten enough already, we shared a tuna, onion, and gorgonzola chz. It was different. Tasty. J didn't like it, at all! No dessert tonite, we were all way too full! There was also lots of red wine to be had that night.
So, our last night in Rome was a fun walk back...
Our first stop was the Colloseum. It was even more impressive in the daylight. We were able to see where they think the emperor's box was. It's marked by a cross. You could see into the "pit" where they kept the gladiators and the animals. They built a floor over part of the pit so you can get a better image of what it looked like. In the picture, it's towards the back.
The Colloseum was built in 80 AD. It's real name is Anfiteatro Flavio or The Flavian Amphitheater. It was used as an arena for gladiator contests and spectator sports. It could accomodate 50,000 fans. Only a third of the Colloseum remains. Earthquakes destroyed some of it but most was used for other buildings during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. From the Colloseum we had an excellent view of the Roman Forum and the Arch of Constantine.
From there we passed the Arch of Constantine and then on to the Roman Forum. The Arch represents when Emperor Constantine defeated his rival Maxentius in the battle of the milvian bridge. This one battle turned him Christian and thus the entire empire. The Arch represents that change.
The Roman Forum was the political, religious, and commercial center of the city. Rome's most important temples and halls of justice were here. We walked down the via Sacra which runs through the trees, past the Senate building, and up Capital Hill. It was amazing how much history took place here and how old things were. So old!
We saw the Temple of Julius - where his body was burned after his death. He was then later made a god and the temple was dedicated to him. The picture is of the inside - his "burial" site.
Then the Senate building which was built in 283 AD. It fit 300 hundred senators. It is so well preserved because it was used as a church since the early Christian times. In the 1930s it was restored and opened to the public as a historic site. We thought it was open but twas not. The Senate building is the one on the right in the picture.
The Column of Phocas is from 608 AD. It was a figt from the Byzantine Empire to a fallen Rome. It was a gift to commemorate the Pantheon's becoming a Christian Church. And then.. Rome Fell...
On to the Palatine Hill! The Palatine Hill houses a courtyard, stadium, palace, a view of circus maximus and a great view of Rome. The 15,000 sq. ft palace was built by Emperor Domitian in 81 AD. It was described as so grand it made "Jupiter jealous".
This is a fountain in the lower courtyard and could be viewed from the upper level (where we were standing) or from the rooms around it on the lower level.
It was refreshing being on the Palatine Hill because we were able to get away from the crowds.
More of the palace.
After the Palatine Hill, we had lots more ground to cover so we stared the trek to the Pantheon. The Pantheon was a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods. The original temple was built in 27 BC. The current structure is a result of a couple of fires and had been completely rebuilt around 120 AD. Its dome was the model for the Florence cathedral dome which influenced the dome of St. Peter's and finally the dome of the US Capital building. The dome is made of concrete and is 23 ft thick at the base. It is as high as it is wide, 142 ft. It is a site to behold. It's also going to celebrate it's 1400th anniversary as a church. The oculus at the top is the only source of light for the building and 30 feet across.
The Pantheon also houses the final resting place of famous painter Rafael Santi (known as Rafael). The painting above his tomb was commissioned by him for his tomb.
After the Pantheon we went on a church expedition. We toured about 4 churches in the area. While looking for the churches, I found my first canoli of Italy! Yummy! Some of the churches and buildings have a flood line from when Rome flooded in 1870. So much water! Some of the churches were affected and the artwork was affected from the flood line down.
While touring the churches we saw the body of St. Catherine of Sienna (her head is in Sienna), the tomb of St. Francis Xavier, Michaelangelo's Christ Bearing the Cross. And lots in between. On the walk back, we encountered the "cat zoo" it's an area of Rome actually in ruins where there are tons of cats. Sadly, I can't remember the name of the ruins.
We headed back and freshened up. We headed to dinner at a more upscale restaurant. J had a red wine infused steak, Pam had pumpkin ravioli, I had mussel risotto, that was for 1st course. for appetizers (first) we had the house specialty which had sausage and like 7 dishes total. Then as if we hadn't eaten enough already, we shared a tuna, onion, and gorgonzola chz. It was different. Tasty. J didn't like it, at all! No dessert tonite, we were all way too full! There was also lots of red wine to be had that night.
So, our last night in Rome was a fun walk back...
Roma Day 2
The next morning was Vatican Extravaganza day. We scheduled a tour with Rome Walks (we do not recommend this tour). We were set to start at 9:45. The Pope was in St. Peter's Square that day, so we went over and watched him for a while. He drove around the front of the square (nearest to the entrance of St. Peter's). He then went to the "stage" in front of the church. Priests speaking different languages (Spanish, Italian, English) read from the Gospels and then Pope Benedict gave a homily. Unfortunately, not speaking Italian we couldn't understand what he said. It was really neat to see the Pope.
Amy and Pam in St. Peter's Square
We then met with our tour guide and headed to the Vatican Museum. After waiting in line for about 45 minutes we made it to the front. The Vatican has an impressive collection of statues, paintings, frescoes, tapestries, basically any type of art, they have it. Some of the more impressive pieces of art at the Vatican are the Apollo Belvedere which is of the god Apollo. It was considered the most perfect work of art in the world. Another, Lacocoon found in the long forgotten Emperor Nero's house. The statue is of Laocoon a high priest of Troy warning his fellow Trojans to beware of greeks bearing gifts. The Trojans did not believe Laocoon and the statue depicts his death. The gods wanted the Greeks to win, so they sent huge snakes to kill Laocoon and his sons so their message could not be heard.
Laocoon
We then walked and walked and walked! The Vatican museum is vast. Our tour guide had lots of information to share. We finanally made it almost to the Sistine Chapel. First, we went through the Raphael Rooms. Raphael painted the papal apartments of Pope Julius II. Included is the School of Athens. A beautiful and famous painting depicting both Rafael and Michaelangelo.
School of Athens
After the Rafael rooms, we were finally ready for the Sistine Chapel. First, we had to get a snack. We were starving! The Vatican has a little snack shop so we stopped in super quick and got a sandwhich and drinks. After eating them quickley, we were back on track. The Sistine Chapel is a wonder to behold. You first walk in it's overwhelming. It's long and tall. The chapel was made to the specifications listed in the Bible for the Temple of Solomen. Michalangelo spent four years painting the ceiling. He painted it in sections standing 70 ft above the floor. He painted the entire ceiling by himself. There is no photography allowed in the chapel so no pictures of that. There are nine main scenes to the ceiling: Drunkeness of Noah, The Flood, Sacrifice of Noah, Temptation and Expulsion, Creation of Eve, Creation of Adam, Separation of Land from Water, Creationof Sun Moon and Planets, Separation of Light from Darkness. The first half of the ceiling took him 3 years the last took him only 1 year. The last half is the most famous. He made the figures bigger and more detailed. The first half the figures are smaller with lots of details, but harder to see from the floor. Perhaps the funniest part of the ceiling is in the Creation of Sun Moon and Planets because Michaelango depicts God mooning everyone looking up! Look the image up on the internet, it's amusing. Also in the Chapel is the Last Judgement also painted by Michaelangeo. It takes up an entire wall by the altar. It's pretty cool being in the chapel knowing that is where the new pope is chosen. Pretty cool.
Doors and Stairs leading up to the Chapel
After the Chapel it was on to St. Peter's. This St. Peter's is actually the 2nd. The first was knocked down in 1500 to build a bigger better one. The church is the largest in the world. The window at the far end is two football fields away. The church covers 6 acres. Basically, it's huge. In the center under the dome is a large canopy crafted by Bernini. Behind that is the altar with an equally impressive sculpture by Bernini designed to look as though it's inside the first. Under the dome and the canopy are 99 oil lamps that are always lit. There are stair leading down and that is where it was believed St. Peter's rested. It was discovered later that it is actually not quite there, but close. It was officially announced that they are indeed St. peter's bones when dating was done and it was determined the bones were of a man from the 1st century. Graffiti in the tomb stated that these were the bones of Peter.
Altar of St. Peter's
Also in St. Peter's are relics of St. Peter's Cross, Jesus' Cross, The Spear of the Soldier that pierced the side of Jesus, and the Cloth with which Veronica wiped the face of Jesus. We could have spent hours in the church and not see everything.
We then saw the Pieta, one of Michaelangelo's most beautiful sculptures. It was attacked by a mad man with a hammer and is now behind bullet proof glass. We saw the Holy Door which is opened on Christmas Day by the Pope only in Holy Years. The next one will be in 2025. The picture below is from the outside of the church (of the Holy Door).
Pieta and Holy Door
We had planned to climb the dome of the church, but we were pretty tired by this time. We had been at the Vatican from 9:45 to about 5pm at this point. No breaks and no lunch! It was intense! So we didn't climb the dome, instead we went into the grotto or the "crypt" where the popes are buried. We saw the tomb of Pope John Paul II. There were lots of people there morning him. One lady was bauling. It was very moving. No photos were allowed.
We were ready at this point to leave the Vatican. We filled up our water bottles and headed back to the subway. after 7 hours of walking around the Vatican, we were ready for a nap! We got up a few hours later and headed to a delicious dinner just a street away from the hotel. We had delicious appetizers of caprese salad (tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil) and proccuito (not spelled right) and cantalope. J ate a calzone filled with egg, cheese, and ham. Pam and I shared a marinara pizza (no cheese) and we enjoyed some delicious red wine. For dessert, Pam got Tirimisu, J got a chocolate cake and the waiter brought me a yummy dessert ( I asked him to surprise me). It was awesome!! Still tired, we headed back to bed anticipating the Colloseum and Roman Forum tours!
The three of us in the courtyard of the Vatican Museum with St. Peter's Dome in the background & the dome of St. Peter's
Dinner at the pizzeria
Amy and Pam in St. Peter's Square
We then met with our tour guide and headed to the Vatican Museum. After waiting in line for about 45 minutes we made it to the front. The Vatican has an impressive collection of statues, paintings, frescoes, tapestries, basically any type of art, they have it. Some of the more impressive pieces of art at the Vatican are the Apollo Belvedere which is of the god Apollo. It was considered the most perfect work of art in the world. Another, Lacocoon found in the long forgotten Emperor Nero's house. The statue is of Laocoon a high priest of Troy warning his fellow Trojans to beware of greeks bearing gifts. The Trojans did not believe Laocoon and the statue depicts his death. The gods wanted the Greeks to win, so they sent huge snakes to kill Laocoon and his sons so their message could not be heard.
Laocoon
We then walked and walked and walked! The Vatican museum is vast. Our tour guide had lots of information to share. We finanally made it almost to the Sistine Chapel. First, we went through the Raphael Rooms. Raphael painted the papal apartments of Pope Julius II. Included is the School of Athens. A beautiful and famous painting depicting both Rafael and Michaelangelo.
School of Athens
After the Rafael rooms, we were finally ready for the Sistine Chapel. First, we had to get a snack. We were starving! The Vatican has a little snack shop so we stopped in super quick and got a sandwhich and drinks. After eating them quickley, we were back on track. The Sistine Chapel is a wonder to behold. You first walk in it's overwhelming. It's long and tall. The chapel was made to the specifications listed in the Bible for the Temple of Solomen. Michalangelo spent four years painting the ceiling. He painted it in sections standing 70 ft above the floor. He painted the entire ceiling by himself. There is no photography allowed in the chapel so no pictures of that. There are nine main scenes to the ceiling: Drunkeness of Noah, The Flood, Sacrifice of Noah, Temptation and Expulsion, Creation of Eve, Creation of Adam, Separation of Land from Water, Creationof Sun Moon and Planets, Separation of Light from Darkness. The first half of the ceiling took him 3 years the last took him only 1 year. The last half is the most famous. He made the figures bigger and more detailed. The first half the figures are smaller with lots of details, but harder to see from the floor. Perhaps the funniest part of the ceiling is in the Creation of Sun Moon and Planets because Michaelango depicts God mooning everyone looking up! Look the image up on the internet, it's amusing. Also in the Chapel is the Last Judgement also painted by Michaelangeo. It takes up an entire wall by the altar. It's pretty cool being in the chapel knowing that is where the new pope is chosen. Pretty cool.
Doors and Stairs leading up to the Chapel
After the Chapel it was on to St. Peter's. This St. Peter's is actually the 2nd. The first was knocked down in 1500 to build a bigger better one. The church is the largest in the world. The window at the far end is two football fields away. The church covers 6 acres. Basically, it's huge. In the center under the dome is a large canopy crafted by Bernini. Behind that is the altar with an equally impressive sculpture by Bernini designed to look as though it's inside the first. Under the dome and the canopy are 99 oil lamps that are always lit. There are stair leading down and that is where it was believed St. Peter's rested. It was discovered later that it is actually not quite there, but close. It was officially announced that they are indeed St. peter's bones when dating was done and it was determined the bones were of a man from the 1st century. Graffiti in the tomb stated that these were the bones of Peter.
Altar of St. Peter's
Also in St. Peter's are relics of St. Peter's Cross, Jesus' Cross, The Spear of the Soldier that pierced the side of Jesus, and the Cloth with which Veronica wiped the face of Jesus. We could have spent hours in the church and not see everything.
We then saw the Pieta, one of Michaelangelo's most beautiful sculptures. It was attacked by a mad man with a hammer and is now behind bullet proof glass. We saw the Holy Door which is opened on Christmas Day by the Pope only in Holy Years. The next one will be in 2025. The picture below is from the outside of the church (of the Holy Door).
Pieta and Holy Door
We had planned to climb the dome of the church, but we were pretty tired by this time. We had been at the Vatican from 9:45 to about 5pm at this point. No breaks and no lunch! It was intense! So we didn't climb the dome, instead we went into the grotto or the "crypt" where the popes are buried. We saw the tomb of Pope John Paul II. There were lots of people there morning him. One lady was bauling. It was very moving. No photos were allowed.
We were ready at this point to leave the Vatican. We filled up our water bottles and headed back to the subway. after 7 hours of walking around the Vatican, we were ready for a nap! We got up a few hours later and headed to a delicious dinner just a street away from the hotel. We had delicious appetizers of caprese salad (tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil) and proccuito (not spelled right) and cantalope. J ate a calzone filled with egg, cheese, and ham. Pam and I shared a marinara pizza (no cheese) and we enjoyed some delicious red wine. For dessert, Pam got Tirimisu, J got a chocolate cake and the waiter brought me a yummy dessert ( I asked him to surprise me). It was awesome!! Still tired, we headed back to bed anticipating the Colloseum and Roman Forum tours!
The three of us in the courtyard of the Vatican Museum with St. Peter's Dome in the background & the dome of St. Peter's
Dinner at the pizzeria
Roma
While Pam and J continue their Europe tour, I have sadly returned home. I was given an important mission: update the blog! Since I joined them in Roma, that is where I shall begin the story.
My first day in Roma, Tuesday 9/18 was busy! Pam and J met me at the airport and then we had business to attend to! Our first stop was the National Museum of Rome. The museum houses the greatest collection of ancient Roman art anywhere, including busts of emperors and a Roman copy of the Greek Diskus Thrower. Some interesting things we saw here were:
-the bust of Julius Caesar (we will later see his temple at the Roman Forum)
-life size statue of Augustus (also known as Octavian - he took the title later in life and became the first of the emperors who would rule Rome for the next 500 years.)
-Statues of Apollo (the god of light), Aprodite (goddess of beauty), the diskus thrower, Hermaphrodite Sleeping (yes, she/he was sculpted as a hermaphrodite)
After the mueseum is was off to the Baths of Diocletian. These baths sprawled over 10 acres, roughly twice the area of the Forum, and could cleanse 3,000 Romans at once. Today, there are 3 sections to visit: The Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, housed in the former main hall of the baths, is the single most impressive sight of the bunch. The Octagonal Hall, is a well preserved rotunda that displays sculptures from the baths. Finally, The Museum of the Bath has a shady garden with Roman tombstones outside, and early Roman jewelery, masks, burial items, and Roman inscriptions on tombs and tablets inside. Of the three, we only visited The Church b/c the other we tried to visit was closed.
Some facts about the Church. It is a round dome room with an oculus was the cooling off room of the baths where medium temperatures were maintained. It is the size of a football field and 7 stories higher. it was once even higher (the original ancient floor was about 15 feet below its present level. It was built around 300 AD. The church today was partly designed by Michelangelo who used the baths' main hall as the nave. Later another artists renovated the church. One neat feature of the church is the La Meridiana (1702). It is pointing north and acts like a sundial. The clock also served as a calender. There are signs of the zodiac and it can chart the movement oft he stars. There are also key dates in the Christian calendar such as the spring equinox and Easter. La Meridiana was the city of Rome's official time keeper until 1846 when it was replaced by the cannon atop Gianicolo Hill which is still fired everyday at noon.
Here are some pictures:
Exterior of the Baths of Diocletian
Interior of the Church
La Meridiana
Diagram of La Meridiana
The next church we visited was Santa Maria della Vittoria. This church houses Bernini's statue, the swooning St. Teresa in Ectasy. Teresa has just been tabbed with God's arrow of fire. Now, the angel pulls it out and watches her reaction. Teresa, a 16th century Spanish nun, later talked of the "sweetness" of this intense pain, describing her oneness with God in ecstatic, perhaps erotic terms. It is a very impressive especially considering the natural light shines in creating even more effect.
St. Teresa in Ecstasy
Statue of St. Teresa
Exterior of Santa Maria della Vittoria
After a quick rest at "home base" we were off again. This time we were going to do a night walk of Trastevere. Trastevere is the crustier side of Rome. It is also where we ate dinner. We intended to do the Rick Steve's Trastevre walk, but we got turned around and never really did it. Rome is very confusing. They don't have street signs per say, they instead have a sign on a building. This can make it really hard to figure out the street you are on. There are slo all kinds of Piazzas which have names as well. Sometimes they are the same name of streets so it gets confusing. So we couldn't find the church we were going to tour and ended up kind of following the route of the tour. We got to see all kinds of quaint alley ways and buildings. We made our way over to Trattoria da Lucia for dinner. It is described as traditional simple food at a good price in a great scene. It has been family run since world war 2. We drank red wine and ate delicious food. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was great. It was on a side street with walking traffic. Very quaint. We ate in the alleyway. After this, we walked to the Colloseum metro stop. It was quite a distance! About an hour walk. It was neat because we saw the colloseum, roman forum, the Tiber River and basically Rome at night. This was the end of my first (Pam and J's second) day in Roma!!
CHIO!
Colloseum at Night
Dinner at Trattoria da Lucia
Pam and J in the alley where Trattoria da Lucia is. Taken after dinner
Tiber at night.
My first day in Roma, Tuesday 9/18 was busy! Pam and J met me at the airport and then we had business to attend to! Our first stop was the National Museum of Rome. The museum houses the greatest collection of ancient Roman art anywhere, including busts of emperors and a Roman copy of the Greek Diskus Thrower. Some interesting things we saw here were:
-the bust of Julius Caesar (we will later see his temple at the Roman Forum)
-life size statue of Augustus (also known as Octavian - he took the title later in life and became the first of the emperors who would rule Rome for the next 500 years.)
-Statues of Apollo (the god of light), Aprodite (goddess of beauty), the diskus thrower, Hermaphrodite Sleeping (yes, she/he was sculpted as a hermaphrodite)
After the mueseum is was off to the Baths of Diocletian. These baths sprawled over 10 acres, roughly twice the area of the Forum, and could cleanse 3,000 Romans at once. Today, there are 3 sections to visit: The Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, housed in the former main hall of the baths, is the single most impressive sight of the bunch. The Octagonal Hall, is a well preserved rotunda that displays sculptures from the baths. Finally, The Museum of the Bath has a shady garden with Roman tombstones outside, and early Roman jewelery, masks, burial items, and Roman inscriptions on tombs and tablets inside. Of the three, we only visited The Church b/c the other we tried to visit was closed.
Some facts about the Church. It is a round dome room with an oculus was the cooling off room of the baths where medium temperatures were maintained. It is the size of a football field and 7 stories higher. it was once even higher (the original ancient floor was about 15 feet below its present level. It was built around 300 AD. The church today was partly designed by Michelangelo who used the baths' main hall as the nave. Later another artists renovated the church. One neat feature of the church is the La Meridiana (1702). It is pointing north and acts like a sundial. The clock also served as a calender. There are signs of the zodiac and it can chart the movement oft he stars. There are also key dates in the Christian calendar such as the spring equinox and Easter. La Meridiana was the city of Rome's official time keeper until 1846 when it was replaced by the cannon atop Gianicolo Hill which is still fired everyday at noon.
Here are some pictures:
Exterior of the Baths of Diocletian
Interior of the Church
La Meridiana
Diagram of La Meridiana
The next church we visited was Santa Maria della Vittoria. This church houses Bernini's statue, the swooning St. Teresa in Ectasy. Teresa has just been tabbed with God's arrow of fire. Now, the angel pulls it out and watches her reaction. Teresa, a 16th century Spanish nun, later talked of the "sweetness" of this intense pain, describing her oneness with God in ecstatic, perhaps erotic terms. It is a very impressive especially considering the natural light shines in creating even more effect.
St. Teresa in Ecstasy
Statue of St. Teresa
Exterior of Santa Maria della Vittoria
After a quick rest at "home base" we were off again. This time we were going to do a night walk of Trastevere. Trastevere is the crustier side of Rome. It is also where we ate dinner. We intended to do the Rick Steve's Trastevre walk, but we got turned around and never really did it. Rome is very confusing. They don't have street signs per say, they instead have a sign on a building. This can make it really hard to figure out the street you are on. There are slo all kinds of Piazzas which have names as well. Sometimes they are the same name of streets so it gets confusing. So we couldn't find the church we were going to tour and ended up kind of following the route of the tour. We got to see all kinds of quaint alley ways and buildings. We made our way over to Trattoria da Lucia for dinner. It is described as traditional simple food at a good price in a great scene. It has been family run since world war 2. We drank red wine and ate delicious food. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was great. It was on a side street with walking traffic. Very quaint. We ate in the alleyway. After this, we walked to the Colloseum metro stop. It was quite a distance! About an hour walk. It was neat because we saw the colloseum, roman forum, the Tiber River and basically Rome at night. This was the end of my first (Pam and J's second) day in Roma!!
CHIO!
Colloseum at Night
Dinner at Trattoria da Lucia
Pam and J in the alley where Trattoria da Lucia is. Taken after dinner
Tiber at night.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Austria
Hello
Sorry for the lack of posts but i have been so busy! well not busy with important stuff but you know stuff like drinking wine, exploring churches (not at the same time) and old ruins...oh the life of a traveler...
amy arrived in Rome on Tuesday and is having a blast but sadley she is going home on Tuesday...
since the last time i posted we took a 2nd night train (amys first) and it wasn't as bad as the first time.
Now we are in Austria (at the German border) tomorrow we head for castles and more ruins and then to munich to drink beer....
I am sending pictures home with Amy so she can post them. Check back becuse she said she will post pictures by friday and if you are lucky she will post some comments too!
more later! hopefully...
Sorry for the lack of posts but i have been so busy! well not busy with important stuff but you know stuff like drinking wine, exploring churches (not at the same time) and old ruins...oh the life of a traveler...
amy arrived in Rome on Tuesday and is having a blast but sadley she is going home on Tuesday...
since the last time i posted we took a 2nd night train (amys first) and it wasn't as bad as the first time.
Now we are in Austria (at the German border) tomorrow we head for castles and more ruins and then to munich to drink beer....
I am sending pictures home with Amy so she can post them. Check back becuse she said she will post pictures by friday and if you are lucky she will post some comments too!
more later! hopefully...
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Cinque Terre
Today (and yesterday) we are in the Cinque Terre. Imagine the California coast (Rt.1) only add the mediterran sea...
its filled with all my Italian favorites, wine, pasta, pizza, and gelato. YUM YUM
But it also has hiking, sun and the sea..so really its the best place ever.
The weather is warm (actually HOT) so we are enjoying it while we can!
There are five towns that make up the Cinque Terre;Riomaggiore (where we are staying), Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterrosso. It is a 5 hour hike to get from Riomaggiore to Monterrosso. We are town number 4 but there are trains that run between the towns in case you do not want to walk.
Tomorrow we head for Rome and on Tuesday Amy arrives....
hopefully i can post pictures soon!
its filled with all my Italian favorites, wine, pasta, pizza, and gelato. YUM YUM
But it also has hiking, sun and the sea..so really its the best place ever.
The weather is warm (actually HOT) so we are enjoying it while we can!
There are five towns that make up the Cinque Terre;Riomaggiore (where we are staying), Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterrosso. It is a 5 hour hike to get from Riomaggiore to Monterrosso. We are town number 4 but there are trains that run between the towns in case you do not want to walk.
Tomorrow we head for Rome and on Tuesday Amy arrives....
hopefully i can post pictures soon!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Pisa and the Itailan Riveria
Tomorrow we leave Florence early and head to Pisa to see the tower and then to relax in the Itailan Riveria.
Chio!
Chio!
Chio!
Chio!
The first day in Florence was very rough for J and I because we were tired. Florence is also very confusing b/c at times you think that you are walking in the right direction but then BAM you are somewhere totally different.
BUT today we are enjoying Florence a lot more!
Today we went to the Accademia and saw Michelangelo's David, among many other things.
Then we went to the Uffizi Gallery which is said to have the greatest collection of Italian paintings any where--(Botticelli's Allegory of Spring, and Birth of Venus"
we took a break at the Museum cafe and had had cappuccino..salute.
(J tried but didn't like it)
We walked acorss the Vasari Corrido, which is basically a covered bridge, but was used by rich people way back when. It was a pretty view of the Arno (the Arno's not that pretty).
The best part of the night was dinner. J and I went to Trattoria la Burrasca. Its a cute little place that houses 10 tables, cheap wine and yummy food. J and I practied our Italian through the whole mean and ONLY spoke Italian to our waitress and we did a pretty goood job..if i say so myself....
The first day in Florence was very rough for J and I because we were tired. Florence is also very confusing b/c at times you think that you are walking in the right direction but then BAM you are somewhere totally different.
BUT today we are enjoying Florence a lot more!
Today we went to the Accademia and saw Michelangelo's David, among many other things.
Then we went to the Uffizi Gallery which is said to have the greatest collection of Italian paintings any where--(Botticelli's Allegory of Spring, and Birth of Venus"
we took a break at the Museum cafe and had had cappuccino..salute.
(J tried but didn't like it)
We walked acorss the Vasari Corrido, which is basically a covered bridge, but was used by rich people way back when. It was a pretty view of the Arno (the Arno's not that pretty).
The best part of the night was dinner. J and I went to Trattoria la Burrasca. Its a cute little place that houses 10 tables, cheap wine and yummy food. J and I practied our Italian through the whole mean and ONLY spoke Italian to our waitress and we did a pretty goood job..if i say so myself....
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Florence
We arrived safe and sound in Florence today.
Last night we used the night train and survived....
it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be it was still rough and I do need a nap. It was like sleeping in a closet with 5 other people.
Today we went to a museum and have been walking around until we can check into our hotel...
Florence is nice a little crazy and a bit overwhelming but I think after a nap my mind will be fresh and it will be easier to figure things out!
I'll update later after a nap and we do more stuff!
Last night we used the night train and survived....
it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be it was still rough and I do need a nap. It was like sleeping in a closet with 5 other people.
Today we went to a museum and have been walking around until we can check into our hotel...
Florence is nice a little crazy and a bit overwhelming but I think after a nap my mind will be fresh and it will be easier to figure things out!
I'll update later after a nap and we do more stuff!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Night Train to Florence, Italy
Tonight J and I are taking our first night train and in the morning we will be in Florence!!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Gimmelwald
Gimmelwald is a very dream-like place. It has great mountain views and yummy locally made products like cheese...
Here are some gnomes chilling in someones frontyard....
Here is looking up at the mountains. People keep cattle and goats in their yards...
Here are some gnomes chilling in someones frontyard....
Here is looking up at the mountains. People keep cattle and goats in their yards...
This is the lift to the town above Gimmelwald, Murren..Murrens lift is higher than Gimmelwalds..
This is the view from Gimmelwald....
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