Ancient Rome

Rode the Metra again this morning to visit astonishingly ancient sights. As we walked out of the modern subway into the warm Roman sunshine, our eyes feasted upon a breathtaking view of the Colloseum - a building from 90 A.D. during the heyday of the Roman Empire!

Our five-minute Metra ride transported us back 2,000 years to the times of gladiators and chariots and Julius Caesar, and we walked on the same stones that he walked on 2,000 years ago.

We ate pizza and had wine (yes, for lunch!) on a piazza with a view of the Pantheon.

What an incomparable city!

I'm going back to Chicago tomorrow. Diana heads to southern Italy.

Arrivederci, Roma!

Vatican City

Rode the Rome subway this morning, bustling-busy with people heading to work on a Friday - and we were heading for another country! We were thrilled to be so near as we walked the six blocks from our Metra stop to the Vatican.




In this gorgeous setting, we discovered that history, culture, religion, and art were indescribably merged. In fact, we're sure no words can really describe the Sistine Chapel (with its Michaelangelo ceiling), or St. Peter's Basilica (the largest and grandest church on earth), the exquisite Pieta by Michaelangelo, St. Peter's crypt, or Bernini's altar (seven stories high). We looked in awe and appreciated with wonder.

And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, the bells tolled at noon, a soprano began a sweet chant, and a procession of clergy in white robes with red hats marched in front of us to Bernini's Dove Window & Peter's Throne altar to begin daily mass. We were hushed into an even deeper acknowledgement of the overwhelming power of art through music and tradition.

~written by Nancy and Diana 11.13.09~

Rome!

We arrived in Rome this afternoon via train, and are getting settled into our hotel before heading for our evening reservation at the Borghese Gallery. We're excited to think of seeing Bernini sculptures in the plush setting for which they were created.

But more about that another day - after we've actually seen anything in Rome!

Siena - Assisi - Orvieto

Our visits to the hill towns in Tuscany and Umbria were satisfyingly delicious tastes of both ancient and current Italian culture. The joy of walking among temples built upon Roman ruins, staying in a hotel originally crafted in 1252, visiting 13th century churches, and watching townspeople living there now in 2009 on a nightly stroll - passegiatta - was all totally magical.

We loved Siena, Assisi, and Orvieto - none of which we actually knew we were going to when we left for this trip. Each has a special story, and an essence all its own.

This photo is of the Tuscan Chianti Classico sangiovese vineyards and olive groves to which we took a trip for wine tasting and local food sampling. Did I have something special shipped home for Christmas dinner? Why, yes I did!

Hello to Siena

We are on the train from Florence to Siena - an unexpected trip for today. We intended to hike the Cinque Terre villages along the northern Mediterranean coast, but it was pouring rain outside our hotel window, and the forecast (which we primarily comprehended by the little cloud-with-raindrops icons on our Italian TV station) looked the same virtually all over Italy. Furthermore - brrr!

We're not so sure how far Siena is, but we really don't care since out the train window is the Tuscan countryside: rolling hills, stone farmhouses and golden stucco villas with red clay tile roofs, orchards of cypress and olives, and a variety of deciduous trees in shades of green and yellow and red and brown, harvested grapevines and corn stalks in fields, a rushing stream, a football game in the rain, a castle/fort up on the hill. The further we get from Florence, the more rustic, pastoral, and peaceful it feels.

The train slides through Italian hill country towns along the way with names like Castelfiorentino, Certaldo, Poggibonsi. Now a long tunnel, now we're slowing down. Do we have a place to stay yet? No, of course not. Let' see what's in store! Ah, Siena!

Florence!

After a few hours of viewing the autumnal Italian countryside via Eurostar Trenitalia, we arrived in Florence Thursday afternoon. Stepping off the train, immediately we noticed the change from boats to motorcycles - everywhere!


We trekked down tiny sidewalks, pulling our luggage behind us, dodging speeding SmartCars and Vespas, trying to follow our map of winding streets labeled in Italian, heading towards the Arno River along which was our hotel - we hoped.


And yes, there it was, just the most perfect place to stay! Built as a palazzo in the 17th century, brass doorknobs with lions' heads, a buzzer entrance, a lift to the reception lobby on the second floor, an escort to our room.


After settling in, we took off to explore our new city. At each corner we exclaimed, "Oh, look down there - another stunningly gorgeous building! Let's go check that out!" We 'discovered' the Duomo, the Baptistry, the Duomo Museum, the Medici-Riccardi Palace, the church of San Lorenzo with the Medici Chapel, and the Church of Santa Maria Novello.

We really wish . . .

. . . that we knew more Italian! Our "buon giorno"s and "buona sera"s, our "per favore"s and "grazie"s and "prego"s don't actually get us very far into any conversation.

What we really want to do is talk with the people we meet as we ride the Vaporettos and visit St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace and the museums.

A Vaporetto (water bus)

We're doing the best we can, but we wish we didn't have to rely on understanding of our our sad Italian (or our English) for real communication to take place! What we especially wish is that we could talk with the waiters and owners and fellow patrons of the little osterias we choose for dinner each night.

By the way, does anyone notice any similarities in our choices of beverages bevandae for our dinners below?

Osteria Vivaldi - Dinner #1

Osteria Diavolo L'Aquasanta - Dinner #2

Ah, that's right! Nothing like the house red - vino rosso di casa! And that also helps with the conversation - in two languages! Ciao!