Picture Perfect- Discarded

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this weeks theme is

 

Discarded

In the ancient city of Rome, pieces of monuments, columns, and marble litter the streets as discarded elements of the past.

Italy- Day 7

The last day of our time in Italy was spent on a visit to the ruins of Pompeii. Mt. Vesuvius still looms over the ancient city, almost looking like two mountains where the entire top was blown off. Erupting on an average of once every 40 years, the last eruption was in 1944. (As our guide, Gino, told us, "we are waiting for it to erupt again soon- but not today, I hope!")

I wasn't sure what to expect from this ancient town, but got a real treat! The city streets are uncovered to reveal ancient Roman roads, many with the wear of carriage wheels. The houses still have remnants of mosaic tile floors, plastered walls, and frescoes. The Roman baths are nearly complete with pools and tubs intact. The brothel has many of the pictures on the walls that were used as a "menu" of services- the kids got a big kick out of that! They also had a hard time understanding the phallic symbols carved into sidewalks, doorways, and the road. This was an ancient symbol of prosperity and to this society, a talisman more than a sexual symbol.

All in all, you get a glimpse of a rich city that was dealt a tragic blow. From ancient writings, we know that ash was falling at a rate of 1 foot per hour. This seaside port town is now nearly two miles from the sea. The mountain, which would have been one large, arching dome, is now nearly two mountains with a giant crater at the top.

We returned to Rome for a dinner of pork, french fries, pasta, and fruit (and the ever-present vino!) and returned to our hotel room to pack for the journey home.

All in all, Italy was fascinating, and definitely a place I would travel to again. There were a lot of things I didn't get to do because, it being a school trip of one week, there wasn't the time or opportunity to do it all. It was good to be in a global society and get a different look at the world. I probably learned over 30 Italian words in a week. This is prompting me to come home and learn Spanish, not because I want to be able to talk to the Mexicans here, but because if we don't (and we don't teach our children to) then we will be at a disadvantage. Most Europeans know two or three languages and even our immigrants, as they learn English, will be bilingual. I didn't realize that until this week.

Italy- Day 6

We got to see Rome today in all its glory. The Colosseum is well named- it is colossal! Which is not how it got its name. It is really named the Flauvian Amphitheater. There was a statue of Nero beside it that was nearly as tall- a colossal statue! The Colosseum was built two years after the death of Nero on the grounds where he had one of his palaces and the statue changed to that of a Roman God (Apollo). Contrary to popular belief, Nero couldn't have fed Christians to the lions there- it wasn't built yet! Parts of the colosseum are missing. I thought it was because it fell down. But no, it was because, during the building boom of the Renaissance, much of the material was used in other buildings, including St. Peter's.

What I found most interesting, besides the size and scope of the building, was the area below the floor. Tunnels and rooms brought animals and gladiators to panels that were then raised up to the floor through a system of pulleys. Much killing, not only of gladiators but of animals, was done in this place. Often, 50 turkeys would be turned loose and hunters allowed to shoot them with arrows, all for sport. The place could hold nearly 50,000 people, all of whom had seating assigned. Each archway still boasts a number so that the patron would know which entrance to take to get to their seats.

Across from the colosseum, past the Arch of Constantine (who is the emperor who legalized Christianity) is the Roman Forum. This is perhaps the est archeological site in Rome. Remains of temples to gods like Saturn and Vesta are there. It also contains what would have been public meeting places and "The Sacred Path" that victorious gladiators walked. I wasn't really impressed with the Forum itself, but with my imagination of what it once was. Rome periodically flooded by the Tiber River (until high walls were built) and the forum ended up buried under layers of silt. I would guess they had to excavate about 30 feet of earth to get to the road bed.

What strikes me most about Rome are the "discarded" artifacts- pieces of stone columns, copulas, and marble just lying around randomly. These give the city a sense of antiquity and decay.

However, the visit to the Vatican in the afternoon was a different story. St. Peter's Basilica is amazing from St. Peter''s square (which Savannah is upset about - the square is in a circle!) Lined with statues of the saints and flanked by statues of St. Peter and St. Paul, the facade is stately and welcoming. Designed by Michaelangelo, he died before it was finished but, unlike most buildings of the time that were finished under another architect, his original plans were kept. We didn't get to go inside since there was a service later in the afternoon, but we did get into the Vatican museums and the Sistine Chapel.

The Sistine Chapel was the highlight of my entire trip. Tears came to my eyes as soon as I stepped into the room. There were many visitors who were not respectful of the place, but with my earphones in, tuned to Mozart, I didn't really notice. The details of the room are amazing. It was built between 1477 and 1480 and decorated by a team of painters that included Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli and Domenico Ghirlandaio. They created a series of frescoed panels depicting the life of Moses and the life of Christ. The ceiling and chancel area are where the true treasures are, though. The details are amazing. It only takes one glance to know that you are looking at the creation of a master, with the flat ceiling coming out in depth with moldings, statues, and pedestals painted on to look real.

We had such a whirlwind visit to the museum that we didn't see much else of note. I really wanted to get into the Raphael rooms, but they were on a different floor. Also, our guide was not very good and failed to point out much beyond the chapel.

This was a very tiring day and my feet and back hurt! I treated myself to a bubble bath (in the only bathtub we had on the trip, thank goodness) and turned in for a good night's sleep.

Italy- Day 5

We were up early and packed for Rome. Plans were to make the 3 hour drive to Assisi, spend 3 hours there, then travel 2 more hours to Rome.

Assisi is beautiful. It reminded me a lot of San Gimignano with compact streets and tall towers. One church there pre-dates Christ (as a building, not a cathedral! It used to be a pagan temple.) Throughout the town you see the Franciscan friars and nuns, distinctive because of their robes with three-knotted belts, representing their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. St. Francis worked to heal and change the church from the inside out. His tomb, underground at the basilica, is beautiful, surrounded by the tombs of his contemporary friars.

The lower church, built two years after his death, is a beautiful but dark place. It has many side chancel areas, carvings, paintings, and frescoes. It was not large enough to accommodate the number of pilgrims who came to see him, so a larger church was built above it. It has glorious 13th century frescoes depicting not only Biblical scenes, but scenes from the life of St. Francis.

Overall, the experience of being at the Basilica of St. Francis was quiet and moving. To think of the number of prayers and petitions said there throughout hundreds of years is astounding. Second only to the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, this is a popular stop for pilgrims wanting to pay honor to their saints. It was also a lovely place to spend an hour.

After our time in the basilica, we were off to the capital city of Rome (or Roma, as the Italians call it.) It was founded in 753BC on the Tiber river. Legend has it that Romulus and Remus, twin brothers fathered by Mars through a Vestal Virgin founded the city. What you find in Rome is interesting- many legends combined with mythology and some history lead you to not know where truth ends and fiction begins.

Rome is interesting- the old bits are sometimes just lying around in pieces, or new parts have been built to include the old parts. We took a night tour of the city, seeing many of the ruins lit in a beautiful way. We threw our coins in the Trevi Fountain. We saw the Pantheon and the Colosseum. We also got a fantastic view of St. Peter's lit up across the river.

Tomorrow will be a longer day. At least the hotel room is bigger this time!

Italy- Day 4

This was, I believe, the best day yet. It was also, I know, the most tiring day yet! We left on this Wednesday morning for a little Tuscan town called San Gimignano. Tuscany lives up to all you have heard or read about it. It has beautiful vineyards, olive groves, rolling green hills, and ancient buildings that make it a picturesque place.

We arrived in the village of San Gimignano early in the day. This fortified hillside town still looks like it would have 1000 years ago. Fourteen of the original 70 towers still stand around the town. The cathedral is covered in frescoes dating back to the 12th century. (Our guide called them the "comic books of the church" because they illustrate Biblical stories in a way that people who couldn't read can understand them.) We climbed the tallest tower and had a fantastic look at the countryside. After shopping for the region's premiere wine (of which I brought home two bottles) we headed back to Florence.

The afternoon in Florence was spent climbing the Duomo (like we hadn't climbed enough already?) The dome is 463 steps high and you get a view of the inside painted dome as well as an open view from the very top. It isn't a place you want to be if you don't like tight spaces. Much of the climb was stone spiral staircases, down tight one-way only corridors, and up metal ladders. The view was worth the effort, thought, and I got some great pictures.

If my feet were hurting the day before, they really hurt today! But I wanted to see the real statue of David in one of the art galleries. The line was so long that we decided  to go to a cafe and enjoy a bottle of wine first. After that, the line was much shorter and we got to see the treasures of the Accademia Museum. David is, well, wow! The replica in the square wasn't the same as seeing the real thing. Maybe it was the marble, or maybe it was knowing that a master carved him, but he was really imposing. We also got to see several statues that Michaelangelo never completed. The rest of the gallery was disappointing (mostly pre-renaissance work) but since we didn't have much time before closing time, I wasn't disappointed that we didn't get to see everything.

Dinner was lovely- pork and pasta (with ham sauce?) and a salad. Too much walking and tower-climbing made me go to bed pretty early. (After I soaked my aching feet in warm water in the bidet! I could just picture Kat and Dai laughing at me for using it the wrong way!)

Italy- Day 3

We left for Florence (Firenze) right after breakfast, crossing the Apennine Mountains between Bologna and Florence. The views were gorgeous- reminded me of the Appalachian Mountains here. My first view of Florence was a little disappointing. I was hoping that Venice was not going to have been so spectacular that it spoiled everywhere else. It turns out that we were coming into town right at the train station and weren't seeing the pretty parts yet.

Our hotel was close to downtown and was very lovely. The room was still small but, since I didn't plan on doing much there but sleep, it was fine. We went on a walking tour downtown. My first view of the Duomo made up for whatever feelings I first had about Florence. The Duomo is over-sized and over-ornate, a true old-world cathedral. The marble facade is pink, green, and white and is adorned with carvings and statues. Its most impressive features are the giant dome, the bell tower, and the baptistry doors.

We Also saw the palace of the Medici family, the town hall government center (outside of which stands a replica of Michaelangelo's David- the original being placed in an art gallery many years ago to protect it), the Ponte Vecchio bridge, the exterior of the Uffizi Art Gallery, and the lovely Florence streets.

My feet hurt! We did a lot of walking over cobblestone and marble. There isn't much other way to get around unless you have a scooter, segway, or a mini-car. Italians are funny, too. They will sacrifice comfort for looks every time. They also don't pay attention to traffic rules. But they are bubbly and friendly and helpful. After 3 days I had learned several Italian words, like please, thank you, you're welcome, and I feel comfortable using them.

The night ended with a wonderful dinner in a cafe and a stroll for gelato. Florence has a different feel at night. The tourists are mostly gone and the natives are out for dinner and the night life.

Italy- Day 2

Day 2 found us up at 7:00am for a breakfast of ham, cheese, hard rolls, jam and coffee. The bus took us to the dock where we got on a boat to the island of Murano. (This is where they make Murano glass!) We saw one of the artisans make a vase from glass, then make a small horse statue- all in about 5 minutes! Then we perused the glass art gallery with some exquisite pieces in it!

After Murano, we boarded the boat to the Grand Canal at Venice. After disembarking, we met Carlo, our local guide, who took us down the back alleys of Venice, pointing out the more interesting sites. Many of the streets are very narrow. often allowing enough room for only two people to pass. The oddest thing, to me, was that the entrance to many of these streets was through what appeared to be a "door" in a building.

We saw the Campo San Zaccaria, where the remains of John the Baptist's father (Zacchariah) are. We crossed small canals and tiny alleys to end at the Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square. The Basillica of San Marco is exquisite, and the Doges Palace beside it is even more elaborate. Home to the rulers of Venice (the Doge) it also housed the government as well as the prison. Opulent with gilded ceilings, massive carvings over fireplaces, frescoes, and paintings from artists like Tintorello, Veronesse, and Risso, it was built in the 9th century and partly reconstructed in 1580 following a fire. It has a huge "grand hall" which is said to be the largest room in Europe.

Following the self-tour of the palaces and prison (where Cassanova was imprisoned at one time) came the best treat of the day- a gondola ride! For 20 Euro, we had a relaxing 45 minute ride through the back canals of Venice and partway down the Grand Canal. Our gondolier "Gianni" was humorous and sweet as he showed us where the first floor of buildings were now flooded as Venice slowly sinks. It is built on mud with wooden pilings driven down into the ground to create the foundation of most buildings.

We had an hour before it was time to meet the boat off the island and used that time to have gelato and wander through the street vendors. I would have loved to have more time in Venice. We only saw a part of the city and saw, but didn't get to cross, the Rialto bridge.

Italy- Day 1

Day 1 was a long day, because it really started the day before. We got on a Lufthansa plane from Charlotte to Munich, leaving Charlotte at 5pm and arriving at Munich at 8am their time. The flight was long and cramped. It is hard to sleep sitting up, even with two glasses of wine and some melatonin. I did watch two good movies, though- The Switch and The Tourist.

Munich brought a lot of standing in line- first for passport checks and then for re-screening with security. I guess they don't trust the American airports to do it properly. Then, we were in the air again on the way to Milan. We had to ride a bus out to the tarmac and climb the stairs to the plane to get on this little flight. I believe the pilot was also a crop duster- at least he drove like one! Flying over the Swiss Alps was beautiful, though.

We met Stuart, our tour guide for the week, and Salvatore, our handsome Italian bus driver, collected our luggage (none got lost) and were on our way to Verona. Verona, in its day, was a big trade town since it is situated at the North/South pass through the Alps and on the East/West highway across Italy. Verona has a colosseum, much like Rome's, but theirs is still intact and still used for outdoor operas.

Verona is also the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, although Shakespeare never visited the town. Although Juliet was a fictional character, you can visit her "house" and take pictures of her balcony. There was an actual Capulet family in Verona, and this was their house, where they attached a Roman sarcophogous to a window in the courtyard and called it a balcony.  Verona is also the first place of many that we tasted gelato. It really lives up to its reputation!

Dinner at the hotel that night was wonderful- polenta (which is like a potato cake made from grits), sausage that wasn't spicy (tasted more like hamburger), and some sort of beans. Dessert was a sweet cornbread with fruit jam on it. Tasted a lot like southern cooking to me!

Our hotel room was tiny, but clean and quaint. We had a good laugh at the kids playing with the bidet (not knowing what it was used for.) We also had a little balcony facing the sea, but with the view obstructed by the seaside hotel beside it! I also learned something about European hotels that I would love to have in my house! The key, once you opened the door, went into a slot on the door that activated the lights. You could turn lights on and off by normal switches but, when you left the room, you pulled the key out and all the lights you'd left on went out. I so want that at my house!!

Italy 2011

I don't know why I can't import pictures here... but go to my facebook album to see:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150163635314854.310874.808434853&l=7bccd930a3

I'm all packed- need to check my list one more time, but we're ready to go! The bus to the airport leaves at 1pm. This time tomorrow, we'll be in Venice! I'll see you all when we're back! Have a great week- and a happy Easter!!

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Ok, so maybe it wasn't that bad. But we had really bad storms overnight, with 60-70 mph wind gusts that knocked out power to almost the entire area. I heard it at 2am- probably the worst wind I have ever heard, accompanied by large hail and lots of lightening. Savannah was scared and came into my room. It didn't last too long, though. School was canceled today because the school didn't have power.

Part of I-485 was closed in Charlotte because of a power line that was down across all lanes of traffic. Of course it was on the most heavily traveled part, too! There weren't any tornadoes (although this line of storms produced some 100 miles away.) I didn't have any damage around the house, but it did knock over the trash can (which was due to be picked up today) and scattered trash around the yard. The oak tree also lost a few limbs. It blew one of my wrought iron chairs across the patio.

I went to work to find the power out there, too. The boss and I did a few things that we could do without computers, email, and internet, then decided to go shopping for some things we needed next week. Might as well, since we couldn't do anything else.

While I was out, my best friend calls and tells me she has a tree down in her yard- across the fence from the neighbor's house- and into her hot tub. So I went over there to help when I got off work early. We moved limbs, swept leaves, and cleaned the pool, draining the hot tub and sweeping debris out of the bottom.

The power came back on about 3pm and we kept working. My friends husband went in the house for a drink and came out upset- his salt water fish tank lost 3 fish. He was really sad. The kids had to give them a nice burial. Then, another friend called to say that her father-in-law had just died.

This is one of those days that no one wants to do over again. But as I look back over the day. I see the blessings in it all. No one was hurt by the storms. I spent some good planning time with the boss that we wouldn't have had otherwise. (We even went shopping and to lunch together!) I got to help a friend in a crisis- and see some others pull together to help, too. Yes, the fish died, but not all of them did and we watched the angel fish go from lying on the bottom to swimming around again once the pumps came back on. And even the father-in-law's death was a blessing as he is no longer in agony.

Maybe I should re-title my blog to "every cloud has a silver lining!"