Today was a learning day - cameo, Pompeii, and wood inlay. My brain is full! Oh, if only we had the ability to download our memories to a memory stick/computer like we can our digital photos. We started the morning with a visit to a cameo factory where they still make cameos by hand in the same way they have for centuries. We were even able to see someone carving away the second layer of a small circle of shell to create the profile on the background of the inner shell.
Pompeii. How can I describe Pompeii? Even the small portion of the ancient city that has been excavated is the size of a large neighborhood. Luckily many of the streets are laid in a fairly predictable pattern centered around the main forum, so you can at least find your way around without too much trouble if you had to. We had our own local guide, though, and she knew so much about the construction of the buildings and their uses. The span of her knowledge was really quite impressive.
The Romans had curbs, pretty tall ones in places. They even use different materials for their streets and sidewalks - the first being made of basalt and the second of marble. Then there were the stepping stones one could use to cross the street without getting your shoes dirty and mucky when it rained. Smart guys, these Romans.
They even had a solution for a mostly illiterate, population (or foreigners who didn't read Latin). They used pictures. I know it seems an obvious solution, but they used it in a unique way. They used little symbols as street signs on the corners of the street intersections. In combination with the different fountains around the city, you would give directions like "turn left at the goat street by the bat fountain". In combination with the grid layout of the streets, you could actually navigate the city fairly easily.
And then you have the menus - the pictoral menus in the multiple bordellos in the city. Because this blog is PG, I won't say any more, but leave the details to your imagination. Instead, let's talk about one of the things Pompeii has left as a legacy that you still find in the modern world today. You ready to be amazed? Fish sauce. Yes, I said fish sauce. A recipe for garum has been found on a papyrus and it seems a version of it is still used in Yemen. Stinky!
After a too-short exploration of Pompeii, we went to Sorrento to learn about inlay woodworking. Another trade that relies on the skills of workers to create handmade individual pieces of furniture that are also pieces of art. I spoke with our guide, and it takes 5 years of school followed by 2-3 years of apprenticeship to learn the craft. Sorrento is a charming town tucked into the coastal hills overlooking the Bay of Naples. After a relaxing stroll through the picturesque streets and contemplation of the Bay from a garden terrace, we ended our planned activities for the day and returned to Vietri for a great dinner.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
4-23-2010 Lemons, Lemons, Lemons!
Getting up early to leave for Capri and Vietri Sul Mare was tough after several nights of constant noise from dusk to dawn. Thankfully, Rome won ther soccer game two nights ago and not last night. The Autostrada is nice and well-maintained so our drive to Naples was easy. We traveled to Capri by boat, leaving from the port of Naples. Such a contrast from the relative wealth of Rome! Naples is desperately poor with the unemployment rate nearing 30-35%. It was quite sobering to drive through the crowded, dirty, and dilapidated neighborhoods to get to the port.
Our trip to the Isle of Capri didn't take too long and soon we landed at a picturesque little island at the edge of the Bay of Naples. Capri is supposed to be surrounded by bright blue water, but sadly we didn't see it as a front had moved in and we were dealing with clouds and rain. We went from the sunny and hot Rome to cloudy cold and windy Capri. The only brightness apparent on the island today was provided by the groves of sunny lemon trees. The whole island seems to smell like lemons, I even got a cologne with the essence of lemons in it. It's really a refreshing scent that lifts your spirits, even on a cloudy day.
I've decided that if I ever move to Italy, I'm going to move to this region, maybe even the Isle (if I can afford it!). I must have had the best lunch I've had in ages - salad caprese, ravioli caprese and caprese cake. Basically, a tomato and mozzarella salad, cheese ravioli with tomato sauce, and tomato and cheese cake...just kidding! The cake was chocolate and almond cake with a light flavor. I spent an hour in epicurean heaven watching the rain drift down the side of the mountain. How quickly I switch into the Italian mode of enjoying a leisurely lunch with an afternoon siesta afterwards. And did I mention the lemon gelato yet? It was so fresh that it tasted like fresh-squeezed lemonade from lemons just off the trees, only a lot colder.
Our trip to the Isle of Capri didn't take too long and soon we landed at a picturesque little island at the edge of the Bay of Naples. Capri is supposed to be surrounded by bright blue water, but sadly we didn't see it as a front had moved in and we were dealing with clouds and rain. We went from the sunny and hot Rome to cloudy cold and windy Capri. The only brightness apparent on the island today was provided by the groves of sunny lemon trees. The whole island seems to smell like lemons, I even got a cologne with the essence of lemons in it. It's really a refreshing scent that lifts your spirits, even on a cloudy day.
I've decided that if I ever move to Italy, I'm going to move to this region, maybe even the Isle (if I can afford it!). I must have had the best lunch I've had in ages - salad caprese, ravioli caprese and caprese cake. Basically, a tomato and mozzarella salad, cheese ravioli with tomato sauce, and tomato and cheese cake...just kidding! The cake was chocolate and almond cake with a light flavor. I spent an hour in epicurean heaven watching the rain drift down the side of the mountain. How quickly I switch into the Italian mode of enjoying a leisurely lunch with an afternoon siesta afterwards. And did I mention the lemon gelato yet? It was so fresh that it tasted like fresh-squeezed lemonade from lemons just off the trees, only a lot colder.
4-22-2010 The Juxtaposition of Religion and Science
Today was a pretty important day for me. I have always wanted to see the Sistine Chapel and this was my chance. But first, we walked through the Vatican Museums, oohing and aahing at all of the collected statues, paintings, tapestries and other pieces of art collected by the Vatican over the centuries. There was everything from Ancient Rome all the way up to the late 1800s or so. And the things we saw were just a small portion of the inventory. The contrast of the different time periods was much more obvious when you travel from one end of the galleries to the over and travel through time. Maybe until we can figure out to travel in time in actuality, this is the next best thing.
One of the galleries was dark and enclosed by glass doors. In this gallery was a whole series of tapestries that had already faded to a large extent, and some extensive efforts were being made to preserve as much of the original colors as possible. Even though many of the colors were dull from the effects of time, there were still enough of a vibrancy to the pieces, that it just sent chills up my spine a few times, especially the near life-size portrayal of the Last Supper.
After the mind-blowing experience of walking through all those galleries, many of them with frescoed ceilings and walls we entered the Sistine Chapel and my mind was just blown away. I stood there in the crowded chapel looking up at the marvel created by Michelangelo and I was taken away from the noise and jostling of the crowd by the awe of beauty and power of the work. Michelangelo swore he was a sculptor and not a painter, but I think, like Moses and Aaron, God made him more than what he thought he was. There's just no other explanation that I can think of that applies. I'm not an outwardly demonstrative spiritual or religious person, but I do feel my faith deeply, and it still brings tears to my eyes to think about it even now. I imagine it always will.
St. Peter's Basilica was beautiful as well - and big, too. There has to be enough room in there to hold 25 to 30 thousand people. The Pieta done by a young Michelangelo was there as well as the tomb of Peter in the very center. There was such opulence, I couldn't take it all in. I was so focused on seeing the Sistine Chapel, the basilica almost seemed anticlimactic - almost. It's impossible to dismiss something so big and so rich in visual treasures.
After a morning of the divine, we moved to the secular. In our free afternoon, a few of us decided to venture out to Piazza de Popolo and the Borgese gardens. At the edge of the piazza is a museum with small scale models of many of the machines that da Vinci drew in his notes. I have always admired his genius, especially with the measuring and drawing parts of the human body. I knew that he had also diagrammed many innovative machines, but I didn't really appreciate the magnitude of his physics and engineering knowledge in addition to his anatomy and artistry. He didn't just diagram a primitive early helicopter, he also improved on many previous ideas, especially in regards to changing rotary motion to linear, and vice versa. My admiration of him has only increased after this trip.
At the top of a long trip up steep and sloping stairs, we reached the edge of the beautiful and serene Borgese gardens overlooking the city. Looking down from the platform, you can see almost the entire city below you. It's almost like a plain of buildings with "hills" of cathedral/basilica domes dotting the landscape. Our tour guide mentioned that there are something like 600 churches in the city, but you don't really realize what that means until you see multitudes of crosses rising up from the mass of buildings or silhouetted against the sky. Rome looks quiet from this height, the hustle and bustle of city life hidden in among the narrow winding streets.
One of the galleries was dark and enclosed by glass doors. In this gallery was a whole series of tapestries that had already faded to a large extent, and some extensive efforts were being made to preserve as much of the original colors as possible. Even though many of the colors were dull from the effects of time, there were still enough of a vibrancy to the pieces, that it just sent chills up my spine a few times, especially the near life-size portrayal of the Last Supper.
After the mind-blowing experience of walking through all those galleries, many of them with frescoed ceilings and walls we entered the Sistine Chapel and my mind was just blown away. I stood there in the crowded chapel looking up at the marvel created by Michelangelo and I was taken away from the noise and jostling of the crowd by the awe of beauty and power of the work. Michelangelo swore he was a sculptor and not a painter, but I think, like Moses and Aaron, God made him more than what he thought he was. There's just no other explanation that I can think of that applies. I'm not an outwardly demonstrative spiritual or religious person, but I do feel my faith deeply, and it still brings tears to my eyes to think about it even now. I imagine it always will.
St. Peter's Basilica was beautiful as well - and big, too. There has to be enough room in there to hold 25 to 30 thousand people. The Pieta done by a young Michelangelo was there as well as the tomb of Peter in the very center. There was such opulence, I couldn't take it all in. I was so focused on seeing the Sistine Chapel, the basilica almost seemed anticlimactic - almost. It's impossible to dismiss something so big and so rich in visual treasures.
After a morning of the divine, we moved to the secular. In our free afternoon, a few of us decided to venture out to Piazza de Popolo and the Borgese gardens. At the edge of the piazza is a museum with small scale models of many of the machines that da Vinci drew in his notes. I have always admired his genius, especially with the measuring and drawing parts of the human body. I knew that he had also diagrammed many innovative machines, but I didn't really appreciate the magnitude of his physics and engineering knowledge in addition to his anatomy and artistry. He didn't just diagram a primitive early helicopter, he also improved on many previous ideas, especially in regards to changing rotary motion to linear, and vice versa. My admiration of him has only increased after this trip.
At the top of a long trip up steep and sloping stairs, we reached the edge of the beautiful and serene Borgese gardens overlooking the city. Looking down from the platform, you can see almost the entire city below you. It's almost like a plain of buildings with "hills" of cathedral/basilica domes dotting the landscape. Our tour guide mentioned that there are something like 600 churches in the city, but you don't really realize what that means until you see multitudes of crosses rising up from the mass of buildings or silhouetted against the sky. Rome looks quiet from this height, the hustle and bustle of city life hidden in among the narrow winding streets.
4-21-2010 Rome, Top to Bottom and Below
Our day started with a trip to the Catacombs just outside the old city. Because there's not a lot of land area, the Romans, then the Christians had vertical "graveyards" instead of horizontal. Apparently the volcanic rock in the area is pretty easy to dig through to make the openings for those buried, that then hardens on exposure to air. There are a total of 11 miles of tunnels, alcoves, and courtyards and it's very easy to get lost, so you have to have a guide lead you through the small public portion. As in everything else, your wealth and social status determines where and how you're buried. IF you were rich enough, you could even have a nice little central room so your relatives could visit and have a picnic...underground. The most fascinating part is how they had ventilation shafts to the surface to let in both light and air; unfortunately, they had to close the shafts so a road could be put through. How plebian.
After the macabre portion of our Roman excursion was over, the second half of our tour group arrived - an extended family group so determined to get to Italy that they took a charter plane when their reserved flight was canceled. Now we are 21.
Next we strapped on our traveling shoes and took off for the whirlwind tour of Rome. Since we had a few extra days before the tour started, we had seen many of the locations, but they were worth seeing again with a local guide who knows all the history and legends for the different locations. Rome is a humid city and with the sun blazing down on you, the fatigue can set in quite quickly. On top of the weather, there's the cobblestone streets, the narrow alleyways and multitudes of people, and certainly the constant up and down of the hills. Luckily, there's almost always a nice cool breeze to refresh you when you sit down in one of the many piazzas all throughout the city. After walking for almost three hours straight up and down hills under the hot spring sun, the chance to sit down and rest your feet is a welcome one. It's even better when the bench you sit on and eat lunch is just a few feet away from the Trevi Fountain. No wonder the Italians are religious about their afternoon rests with such beautiful and impressive things to look at all the time.
If I thought that Rome was beautiful by day, it doesn't have the charm and ambience of Rome by night. The various ruins and monuments are lit with a warm golden light that makes the marble seem to glow the warm golden glow of a cozy fire. And all this is after a dinner of epicurean delight. The food in Italy, even when just a simple sandwich or pizza from a food stand is rich and fulfilling. The flavors are both bright and rich at the same time.
To make our dinner complete, we were serenaded by a tenor and soprano who perform each night at the ristorante. While the soprano was a great singer with both talent and skill, it was the tenor who had me putting down my fork and knife just to soak in the rich timber of his voice. He filled the room with the wound of his voice, the words of the songs just soaking into my bones and soothing me on a visceral level.
Full and sated both physically and emotionally, we returned to the hotel to rest our brains and feet for the next full day in Rome.
After the macabre portion of our Roman excursion was over, the second half of our tour group arrived - an extended family group so determined to get to Italy that they took a charter plane when their reserved flight was canceled. Now we are 21.
Next we strapped on our traveling shoes and took off for the whirlwind tour of Rome. Since we had a few extra days before the tour started, we had seen many of the locations, but they were worth seeing again with a local guide who knows all the history and legends for the different locations. Rome is a humid city and with the sun blazing down on you, the fatigue can set in quite quickly. On top of the weather, there's the cobblestone streets, the narrow alleyways and multitudes of people, and certainly the constant up and down of the hills. Luckily, there's almost always a nice cool breeze to refresh you when you sit down in one of the many piazzas all throughout the city. After walking for almost three hours straight up and down hills under the hot spring sun, the chance to sit down and rest your feet is a welcome one. It's even better when the bench you sit on and eat lunch is just a few feet away from the Trevi Fountain. No wonder the Italians are religious about their afternoon rests with such beautiful and impressive things to look at all the time.
If I thought that Rome was beautiful by day, it doesn't have the charm and ambience of Rome by night. The various ruins and monuments are lit with a warm golden light that makes the marble seem to glow the warm golden glow of a cozy fire. And all this is after a dinner of epicurean delight. The food in Italy, even when just a simple sandwich or pizza from a food stand is rich and fulfilling. The flavors are both bright and rich at the same time.
To make our dinner complete, we were serenaded by a tenor and soprano who perform each night at the ristorante. While the soprano was a great singer with both talent and skill, it was the tenor who had me putting down my fork and knife just to soak in the rich timber of his voice. He filled the room with the wound of his voice, the words of the songs just soaking into my bones and soothing me on a visceral level.
Full and sated both physically and emotionally, we returned to the hotel to rest our brains and feet for the next full day in Rome.
4-20-2010 It Happened on the Way to the Forum
Lori here. Today we walked to the Foro Romano (Roman Forum). It was the center of everything Roman in it's hayday. We started off on the Via Sacra (Sacred Road) heading toward the center. It's amazing to see all of the columns and buildings and know that they were once almost completely buried under layers of silt. At the Temple of Julius Caesar, the spot where his body was burned after his assassination, people still leave flowers in his honor. Across the Via Sacra if the Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina. The massive structure with its 50 foot tall Corinthian columns has a bronze door, but the stairs are missing.
On the other side of the temple, is the entrance to the church that is currently housed inside the ancient temple. The church is gorgeous inside with a fresco of Jesus and the disciples behind the alter. From inside the church you were able to see the back of the bronze doors. It was amazing to see how far above the church was from the top of the doors. The entrance to the church was at ground level during Michelangelo's time, which was several feet above the bronze doors.
The Temple of Saturn framed the entrance to the Forum's oldest temple, and the wooden statue of Saturn contained the state treasury and the booty collected by conquering generals. The columns at the entrance to Saturn were incredibly massive and knowing that before the archeological digs started only the very top of the columns was visible above ground. When you turned around from viewing the Temple of Saturn there was the Temple of Vesta. Inside the temple a fire burned, and as long as the sacred flamed burned, Rome would stand. The flame was tended by the Vestal Virgins.
Just beyond the Temple of Vesta was the house of the Vestal Virgins. The long central courtyard is still visible, but it is a shame that most the statues and the splendor of the courtyard and Temple have been destroyed with time. Overlooking the house of the Vestal Virgins was Caligula's Palace. It sprawled down Palatine Hill into the Forum. The sheer size of the Palace is just so overwhelming. Standing below the Palace makes you feel miniscule in comparison in size. Back down the Via Sacra and it's time to leave the Foro Romano for lunch.
After lunch from a street vendor it's on to Palatine Hill. Up the road and around the trees and you come to the first set of arches. The 3 arches that are visible are remaining from the aquaduct. The canopy pine trees give this area of the hill a peaceful atmosphere. Continuing up the hill there is a structure that we decided were battlements to protect the emperor, several of which had homes here.
On top of one of the roofs there were brick openings with grates. Apparently, these are chimney-type holes to allow the steam to be release as water was heated for the baths. Romans were all about food. When the Romans ate a feast, they reclined and ate until they couldn't eat any more. After purging themselves of the food, they would return to their original place and start over. A typical meal would last 5 to 6 hours, but could last up to 12 hours. This was a display of wealth to any guests that were attending.
After spending the morning walking on the cobblestones of the Via Sacra and continuing to explore Palatine Hill, up and down cobble stone steps, my feet were starting to hurt. I couldn't imagine walking around and up and down on the cobblestones everyday in sandals like the ancient Romans did. We finally wound our way to the Farnese gardens. The garden was surrounded by oranges trees in blossom and created a wonderful smell upon entering. Just off to the side of the garden was a terrace overlooking the forum, which was part of Caligula's Palace. Just past the Forum is the structure of the Colosseum, and with both in view the site is impossible to describe, it just takes your breath away. It's amazing the amount of excavation and preservation that has been done to both the Forum and Palatine Hill.
On the other side of the temple, is the entrance to the church that is currently housed inside the ancient temple. The church is gorgeous inside with a fresco of Jesus and the disciples behind the alter. From inside the church you were able to see the back of the bronze doors. It was amazing to see how far above the church was from the top of the doors. The entrance to the church was at ground level during Michelangelo's time, which was several feet above the bronze doors.
The Temple of Saturn framed the entrance to the Forum's oldest temple, and the wooden statue of Saturn contained the state treasury and the booty collected by conquering generals. The columns at the entrance to Saturn were incredibly massive and knowing that before the archeological digs started only the very top of the columns was visible above ground. When you turned around from viewing the Temple of Saturn there was the Temple of Vesta. Inside the temple a fire burned, and as long as the sacred flamed burned, Rome would stand. The flame was tended by the Vestal Virgins.
Just beyond the Temple of Vesta was the house of the Vestal Virgins. The long central courtyard is still visible, but it is a shame that most the statues and the splendor of the courtyard and Temple have been destroyed with time. Overlooking the house of the Vestal Virgins was Caligula's Palace. It sprawled down Palatine Hill into the Forum. The sheer size of the Palace is just so overwhelming. Standing below the Palace makes you feel miniscule in comparison in size. Back down the Via Sacra and it's time to leave the Foro Romano for lunch.
After lunch from a street vendor it's on to Palatine Hill. Up the road and around the trees and you come to the first set of arches. The 3 arches that are visible are remaining from the aquaduct. The canopy pine trees give this area of the hill a peaceful atmosphere. Continuing up the hill there is a structure that we decided were battlements to protect the emperor, several of which had homes here.
On top of one of the roofs there were brick openings with grates. Apparently, these are chimney-type holes to allow the steam to be release as water was heated for the baths. Romans were all about food. When the Romans ate a feast, they reclined and ate until they couldn't eat any more. After purging themselves of the food, they would return to their original place and start over. A typical meal would last 5 to 6 hours, but could last up to 12 hours. This was a display of wealth to any guests that were attending.
After spending the morning walking on the cobblestones of the Via Sacra and continuing to explore Palatine Hill, up and down cobble stone steps, my feet were starting to hurt. I couldn't imagine walking around and up and down on the cobblestones everyday in sandals like the ancient Romans did. We finally wound our way to the Farnese gardens. The garden was surrounded by oranges trees in blossom and created a wonderful smell upon entering. Just off to the side of the garden was a terrace overlooking the forum, which was part of Caligula's Palace. Just past the Forum is the structure of the Colosseum, and with both in view the site is impossible to describe, it just takes your breath away. It's amazing the amount of excavation and preservation that has been done to both the Forum and Palatine Hill.
Finally - internet!
Finally have a spot with internet that's available and NOT so expensive as to be prohibitive. So, here comes the last week's worth of observations!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Aaaaand.... off again!
So it seems that many of the airports are open again, and so the tour that starts tomorrow is going to make; therefore, ours has been canceled. But don't worry campers, we're joining that tour. So, while we'll miss the two days in Stresa in the Lake District, we got two extra days in Rome. And they're covered by the original tour - kind of a like-for-like sorta thing.
In the meantime, the manager of our now-for-real-canceled tour bought the four of us (five, with her along) two-day passes for the hop on/hop off bus tour of Rome. She was our personal guide through the Coloseum, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. We also got to see several other sites on the top of the bus going from one thing to the other.
It was a whirlwind morning to see all those things, but it gave us a taste of it all. We will have all day tomorrow to see it in more depth if we wish, but since all of those things are already on the official tour, we're going to go see the Roman Forum and do the walking tour that Sabine copied for us. And who knows what else!
I know it sounds very cliche, but I was most impressed with the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. The careful thought put into the design of them both, and the execution of construction is just awe-inspiring. The Colosseum is impressive on a massive scale, taking only two years to build, but at the cost of thousands of lives of Jewish slaves. The scale of this building rivals many modern stadiums, designed to hold over 80,000 people. The Trevi Fountain is just as impressive, but on an individual scale - the work of just a few sculptors. They didn't skimp on detail, no matter the size of the fountain. Each figure in the fountain is just exquisite in the expressions and sense of motion and flow portrayed in each curve.
The amount of history and the diversity of styles from different times is all a bit overwhelming. You're inundated by art, history and architecture with each step and it gets dizzying after a time. Luckily, around almost any corner, there's a piazza for you to relax, rest your feet and gather your thoughts. As well as take a few pictures of an obelisk, a fountain or three, or even more architecture. I could spend hours in these piazzas just soaking it all in.
We did sit on the Spanish Steps - a beautiful staircase with a beauty that hides just how many feet you have to climb to get to the building at the top. Luckily, a short shower cleared out the stairs and it allowed a few of us hardier ones used to 5-minute sun showers in College Station to get great pictures of the steps themselves without hundreds of people sitting on them. Just think, if I had been in the possession of a bit of gelato, I could have been like Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday"!
The best part of the steps though, was the view from the top. You could see almost the entire city - well the rooftops anyway - from where we were. I tried counting the number of church steeples I saw, but quickly lost track there were so many. The roofscape has a personality all it's own and is almost as fascinating as the street level. But not quite!
Due to some technical issues, I have no pictures from my camera to post along with my thoughts right now, but I'll have them when I get home.
Off to bed, and talk to you again tomorrow!
In the meantime, the manager of our now-for-real-canceled tour bought the four of us (five, with her along) two-day passes for the hop on/hop off bus tour of Rome. She was our personal guide through the Coloseum, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. We also got to see several other sites on the top of the bus going from one thing to the other.
It was a whirlwind morning to see all those things, but it gave us a taste of it all. We will have all day tomorrow to see it in more depth if we wish, but since all of those things are already on the official tour, we're going to go see the Roman Forum and do the walking tour that Sabine copied for us. And who knows what else!
I know it sounds very cliche, but I was most impressed with the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. The careful thought put into the design of them both, and the execution of construction is just awe-inspiring. The Colosseum is impressive on a massive scale, taking only two years to build, but at the cost of thousands of lives of Jewish slaves. The scale of this building rivals many modern stadiums, designed to hold over 80,000 people. The Trevi Fountain is just as impressive, but on an individual scale - the work of just a few sculptors. They didn't skimp on detail, no matter the size of the fountain. Each figure in the fountain is just exquisite in the expressions and sense of motion and flow portrayed in each curve.
The amount of history and the diversity of styles from different times is all a bit overwhelming. You're inundated by art, history and architecture with each step and it gets dizzying after a time. Luckily, around almost any corner, there's a piazza for you to relax, rest your feet and gather your thoughts. As well as take a few pictures of an obelisk, a fountain or three, or even more architecture. I could spend hours in these piazzas just soaking it all in.
We did sit on the Spanish Steps - a beautiful staircase with a beauty that hides just how many feet you have to climb to get to the building at the top. Luckily, a short shower cleared out the stairs and it allowed a few of us hardier ones used to 5-minute sun showers in College Station to get great pictures of the steps themselves without hundreds of people sitting on them. Just think, if I had been in the possession of a bit of gelato, I could have been like Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday"!
The best part of the steps though, was the view from the top. You could see almost the entire city - well the rooftops anyway - from where we were. I tried counting the number of church steeples I saw, but quickly lost track there were so many. The roofscape has a personality all it's own and is almost as fascinating as the street level. But not quite!
Due to some technical issues, I have no pictures from my camera to post along with my thoughts right now, but I'll have them when I get home.
Off to bed, and talk to you again tomorrow!
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