Day Fifty-Seven - Rome

I wasn't going to post a blog today but we do have time and I wanted to upload some photos from our walk to the Vatican this morning. It is buzzing with excitment and I must admit it was quite something to see Mary MacKillop's poster hanging high on St Peter's Basilica. There was an aboriginal contingent from Broome, Western Australia being interviewed by Channel Seven.
Photos: St Peter's Basilica; Souvenir shop putting up the Australian flag.

Day Fifty-Six - Rome

This was our last full day of sight-seeing in Rome before catching the plane tomorrow and heading back to Australia. We have been progressively ticking off a list of the ten “must sees” in one of the guide books left in the apartment.
Today we ticked off the last one on the list which was to walk around the Palatine Hill near the Roman Forum. It has sweeping views over the ancient ruins. We took two trains to get to the Colosseum to walk to the hill and we are getting very nifty at sorting out our way on the train system. There were a lot more people around the Colosseum and in the city today and we could hear many Australians which is a change. We usually only hear Italians, Germans and Americans. We overheard talk of the canonisation of Mary MacKillop on Sunday.
Where there were no people we observed from a distance a young gypsy woman transform herself to an old woman by putting layers of old, bulky clothing over her modern ones. She covered her hands with gloves and her face with a scarf. We later saw her stooped and begging along the pavement on Palatine Hill. She was a very convincing old woman and we saw people giving money.
From Palatine Hill we walked to Piazza del Campidoglio where there is a statue of the legendry she-wolf with Romulus and Remus, the twins credited with the foundation of Rome. We walked through the Victor Emmanuel building which is commonly called The Wedding Cake and has very good views over the ancient ruins on one side and the city on the other. We were going to have lunch at the café on top of the building as suggested by our friend Pam but it was crowded and very hot which was a shame as it would have been good to overlook the ancient ruins. We later chose a cool shady laneway café back in the city.
On the way back to the train we went passed the Column of Marcus Aurelius which is very impressive at twenty-nine metres tall and was erected between AD 180 and AD 193. A frieze runs in a continuous spiral around the column.
As we had a large lunch we opted for our busy local sidewalk café and had bar food with the other Italians. Once again it was good to just sit and people watch.
Before we head for the airport tomorrow we will walk to the Vatican City and see how the preparation is going for the canonisation ceremony on Sunday.
This is the last posting to this blog. It has been a wonderful nine weeks. No doubt we will return to Rome as we have thrown our coins into the Trevi Fountain.
Photos: “Old” gypsy woman on Palatine Hill; Roman Forum; About to knock down the Colosseum; The Column of Marcus Aurelius.

Day Fifty-Five - Rome

We decided to roam the streets today and check out the shopping. Our guide book told us there are two major streets for shopping. Firstly, near the Vatican where we are staying is Via Cola di Rienzo where there are many fashion shops where the prices can be top of the range and also reasonable. It is where many Italians shop for their clothes. Secondly, there is the long street of Via dei Condotti near the Piazza di Spagna, the place of the Spanish steps, in central Rome. This is probably equivalent to New York’s Fifth Avenue and has all the designer shops such as Valentino, Gucci, Bulgari, Prada, Dior, Amarni and Yves St Laurent.
There are very few large department stores but rather small specialist shops in categories such as shirts and ties, coats, gloves, lingerie, shoes, watches, and sporting wear shops.
We set out at the later time of ten thirty and walked about twenty minutes to get to Via Cola di Rienzo. There was one small department store called Coin which was recommended in the guide book. We found a great shirt for Henk and he will look particularly Italian when he wears it!
From this street we walked into the city centre past the Piazza Popolo where there was a large number of uniformed people practising for a parade. We couldn’t make out what it was about except it wasn’t the armed forces. They looked more like forestry workers but they did have guns on their belts. The Italians do seem to like their guns and uniforms!
We had lunch at a sidewalk café near the designer shops watching the very well-dressed Italians parading past with their designer bags. There was not a plastic bag in sight but large tasteful paper bags with the designer name printed on the side and cords or ribbon for handles.
We had fun looking into the designer windows and noting the prices. I particularly liked the Yves St Laurent green dress for seven thousand eight hundred Euros. It made my little black flat shoes I bought later in the day for thirty-nine Euros a very good bargain!
After walking into the city from our apartment which was a fair way we decided to catch the train back to Ottavania and walk the short distance. We used to get off at the Lepanto station as recommended by the agent but it is far easier to go one more stop at Ottavania as it’s a straight walk.
Dinner was at the restaurant, “Nuova Fiorentina“ where we had dinner last night. It’s close by and the food is excellent and many Italians eat there. We arrived at seven thirty and were finished by eight thirty. As we left the Italians were arriving. They eat much later than Australians.
Photos: Scooters everywhere on the way to Via Cola di Rienzo; Me with my very expensive Yves St Laurent dress; Valentino shop window; Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti shop window.

Day Fifty-Four - Rome

Today was a day of walking. We walked from one end of Rome to the other setting out at nine thirty and arriving back at the apartment at four thirty. We eeked out the remaining time on our twenty-four hour “hop-on hop-off” bus ticket and caught the bus near the Vatican and getting off at Piazza San Silvestro close to the Trevi Fountain.
Our first destination was the Campo dei Fiori to see the large market. We walked passed a quiet Trevi Fountain and Pantheon to get to the square which was filled with many different stalls selling fruit and vegetables as well as the usual stalls with the Roman souvenirs. We sat at one of the many cafes surrounding the square and “people-watched’ for quite a while. The Italian women have a particular style with their ankle-length trousers, flat leather shoes, stylish coat and leather strapped bag hanging across their body and all this on a bike at the markets.
I was particularly keen to see Bernini’s sculpture of ‘The Ecstasy St Teresa” at Santa Maria Della Vittoria which I had seen in 1989 on a one-day trip to Rome. It was at the other end of the city and we walked for about an hour through lovely side streets and sometimes very busy roads to get there. We are getting very good at negotiating the traffic on the busy roads. A crossing does not mean a car will stop but it will stop if you force the issue!
On the way we walked through the beautiful Pizza Navona with its large Fountain of the Four Rivers designed by Bernini in 1651. Interestingly the four main rivers were those known at the time - the Danube in Europe, the Nile in Africa, the Ganges in Asia and the Rio del la Plata in the New World!
When we finally arrived at the church it was closed. I then I checked the guide book which said it was closed between noon and three-thirty and it was one o’clock. Henk said he could cheerfully strangle me! We sat on the steps and ate the Italian-style sandwich and drink we bought and moved on to nearby Villa Borghese where we spent a very pleasant couple of hours walking around the parkland. It’s an oasis in a very big, busy city. We had afternoon tea before returning to the church.
A small throng of people had collected outside the church just before three thirty. They had obviously read their guide books! A monk dutifully opened up and we all walked in and stood silently as we gazed at the exquisite sculpture. It would have to be my favourite piece of sculpture. It represents the moment of ecstasy when St Teresa’s heart was pierced again and again by an cherub’s flaming arrow, a symbol of true union with God. Henk thought in modern day terms she was probably having a coronary or heartburn!
In the evening as we had only eaten lightly during the day we were eager to find a restaurant for a good filling pasta. We left our apartment at six thirty and strolled around the nearby very large and very busy Piazzi Mazzini round-about which has about eight roads and many lanes coming off it. For fifty minutes we walked around the entire ring and we could only find one restaurant which wasn’t opening until seven thirty. The rest of the places were side-walk bars filled with Italians eating and drinking lovely nibbles of mini pizzas and olives amongst other delicacies. Henk was nearly out of his tree with hunger and we returned to the restaurant and waited until they turned on their lights. Suddenly Italians came from everywhere all dressed in their stylish winter clothes. It was a mild evening and we sat outside on one of the many tables watching a storm come across whilst the majority of Italians sat inside. The meal was delicious. I had stuffed zucchini flowers for entrée and saltimbocca for mains. Henk had melon and ham and a spaghetti which he ate slowly and savoured. I think we might have to go back there before we leave.
Photos: Fruit and vegetables at the markets; The Nile River, part of the Fountain of the Four Rivers, Piazza Navona; ‘Ecstasy of St Teresa’, Santa Maria della Vittoria; Sandwiches Italian style!

Day Fifty-Three - Rome

The weather bureau forecast rain from tomorrow until the end of the week and we thought it best to make the most of a fine day and catch one of the “hop on, hop off” buses to see the major sites of the city. The tour around twelve major sites took two hours but it could have been quicker except for the Rome traffic. The congestion is on all the streets with scooters and pedestrians weaving in and out of cars and buses. We hadn’t noticed the traffic problem before as we have been catching trains and walking largely in pedestrian only areas. We were in awe of our double-decker bus driver as he was able to come within centimetres of traffic and people and make his way through.
The bus took us past St Peter’s Basilica and large numbers of chairs were being set out. We also passed a poster of Mary MacKillop where the tickets for her canonisation are to be collected.
After our bus ride we visited the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and returned to the Pantheon to have a look inside. The hole in the dome which is 8.3 metres across was much larger than expected and I could well see how the rain can fall through it.
It was a long day as we left at nine o’clock and got back to the apartment at five o’clock.
We had our first set lunch menu of three courses for fifteen Euro each at a little restaurant near the Roman Forum. The service was slow as it was very busy but the wait was worthwhile as he food was very tasty.
After our big lunch we had an Italian-style meal of bread, cheese and sliced meats for our dinner.
Photos: A lane near the Vatican City; Traffic congestion on our bus tour; The Mary MacKillop poster with a gypsy woman sitting behind it begging; The dome of the Pantheon.

Day Fifty-Two - Rome

Today we spent six hours touring the Vatican City including the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museum and St Peter’s Basilica. When we returned to the apartment we were a little weary!
It only took us twenty minutes to walk to the Vatican City which is the world’s smallest nation covering just fifty hectares with five hundred and fifty citizens headed by the Pope. We mistakenly walked to St Peter’s Basilica and had to retrace our steps for about a kilometre around the city’s wall to get to the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. The line-up at a quarter to nine was already long and three to four abreast. Thankfully, the on-line tickets arranged by Brian meant that we walked right past the waiting throng and through security to start our tour. We hired audio guides to talk us through the different areas.
The highlight was obviously the Sistine Chapel. We were able to get a seat on the side wall and sit for about half an hour taking in Michelangelo’s masterpiece with the help of the audio guide. It was very busy but as it was still early in the day the guards were not pressuring anyone to move on which they apparently do. The Sistine Chapel is the Pope’s chapel and it is where the Cardinals meet to elect a new pope. In the old days when a vote wasn’t successful straw was put onto the ballot papers to make black smoke. These days a chemical is added.
The Vatican Museum is extensive and covers a vast range of time periods including Etruscan, Greek, Roman, and the Middle Ages. The Raphael Rooms where Raphael decorated Julius II’s apartments between 1508 and 1524 are very impressive. The audio guides were very useful in explaining each of the paintings.
We had a pizza lunch at the museum and after going past countless souvenir shops we emerged to find hundreds and hundreds of people in two directions lining up. It was unbelievable and many must have spent hours slowly moving forward to the entrance. We were doubly pleased Brian had bought the tickets online!
We walked past the very long line back to St Peter’s Basilica. By this time it was raining and we lined up with everyone under umbrellas. The hawkers were doing well selling their umbrellas. The line moved very quickly and we were soon inside and immediately came across Michelangelo’s ‘Pieta’. It is unbelievable that Michelangelo carved this masterpiece when he was a mere twenty-five years old. It has been protected by glass since 1972 when a man screaming, “I am Jesus Christ!” attacked it with a hammer, damaging the Virgin’s nose and fingers. Needless to say the crowed around the statue was very deep but we eventually made it to the front to have a closer look and take a photo.
After having an afternoon rest I ventured out in our neighbourhood and did some grocery shopping for dinner. I made “breadcrumb mental notes” in my head of where I was going to retrace my steps so I wouldn’t get lost. I returned to last night’s little café and bought half a dozen little cakes as they as irresistible.
Tomorrow may be the Colosseum.
Photos: ‘Pieta’ by Michelangelo; Henk in front of Bernini’s huge bronze altar canopy at St Peter’s Bascilia; Inside Vatican Museum on the way to the Sistine Chapel; Ancient Roman mosaic tiled floor.

Day Fifty-One - Rome

This was our first full day of sight-seeing and we took it a bit slower as Henk has come down with a head cold. It’s not serious but he is not feeling too energetic. We left the apartment at ten o’clock and caught the Metro train two stops back into the city getting off at La Spagna. We are getting proficient at buying tickets at the automatic ticketing machines especially as they give the option of English! When we walked out of the station we were very quickly at the Spanish Steps. There were people everywhere. We walked to the top to get a good view down the steps and over some of the city. The Keats-Shelley Memorial is a pink stuccoed apartment alongside the Spanish Steps. Keats died at the age of twenty-five at the house in 1821.
From the steps we walked with crowds of people to the Trevi Fountain. It too had masses of people around it and we were determined to get to the front of it to throw our coins in. The guide book from the apartment says that the movie ‘Three Coins in a Fountain” taught us that we had to throw the coin in backwards over our shoulder to ensure a return visit to Rome. We duly did this taking photos of the opportunity.
Our next stop was at the Pantheon. It is under renovation and half of it was obscured with netting and scaffolding. By this time we were getting hungry and we had a pizza lunch at a nearby outdoors café in the Piazza overlooking the Pantheon before taking a closer look. Unfortunately, a mass was being conducted and we couldn’t go past the massive bronze doors but we are hoping to return later in the week to view the dome from the inside. Emperor Hadrian, apparently an amateur architect, designed the building in AD 118-125. He not only did walls as we saw last year in England!
By this time Henk was flagging and we returned by train to our apartment. We are in an area which has very little tourists and another guide book left in the apartment suggests the area we are in is very middle class. Certainly the people are well dressed.
We were going to have dinner in the apartment but the little grocery stores we have found in the area were all closed on Sunday afternoon. This forced us to go out to dinner and it was very pleasant. We found a very busy sidewalk café frequented with well-dressed Italians. It was a balmy evening and we enjoyed watching the passing parade. We indulged in wonderful miniature pastries. We will have to go back for more.
Henk has re-tuned the television for all the English programs and we can get BBC which is a good thing for a news freak like me!
We will need to get away early tomorrow as the Vatican tour Brian booked from Australia starts at nine o’clock. The sun is coming up much later and we tend to sleep in.
Photos: Spanish Steps; Trevi Fountain; The Pantheon.