Roma/Firenze/Montaione 
Day Five:
Sunday September 27, 2015

Arrivederci Roma

Sad to say goodbye to our lovely apartment and even sadder to bid farewell to the amazing city of Rome. Clearly four days was insufficient time to experience all this amazing city has to offer. We have no choice but to return.

Took a cab to the train station, a short ride away, and validated our Euro rail passes. Back in Canada we had bought a five day pass, good for any five days of travel within a thirty day period.  We chose to upgrade to the fast train to Florence for 10 Euro more per person, a trip of one hour and ten minutes instead of over three hours.

The four of us struggled to decipher the Italian words flashing on the giant overhead screens, trying to decide platform our train was leaving from. Convinced that we had it figured out, we stood waiting on platform 5, for a train that the LED signs informed us would be twenty minutes late, only to discover, many minutes later, that we were on the wrong platform. Our train was leaving from the next platform over, and was already loaded ready to leave. After a frantic run, dragging our suitcases behind us and dodging passengers over rough pathways, we managed to board the train. 

A note to would be train passengers. Get there early. When you arrive as the train is about to leave the station, all the spots for luggage are already taken. It was a bit of a struggle to find a spot to store our bags but still we managed, and made it to our seats before the train departed.

Comfortable seats and a great view out of the window made the trip a breeze. I was surprised at the speed the train travelled, especially uphill. The overhead screen announced that we were travelling at 248 km per hour! 

The trip from Rome to Venice involved a great deal of uphill climbing through numerous tunnels. My popping ears paid testament to the elevation. The scenic beauty rolling past my window was a visual delight, or at least what I could see of it at the speed we were travelling. lol

Firenze

We arrived at the Santa Maria Novella train station, in the centre of the old city. A short walk took us to the garage where our rental car awaited.

Tim upgraded us to a Volkswagen Passat, in an attempt to accommodate all of our luggage. The cars in Italy, in most of Europe for that matter, are much smaller than what we are accustomed to in North America. It was a good decision as this upgraded car came with a GPS, an addition which can be quite expensive.

We did not linger in Firenze, hoping to get to our final destination of Montaione before nightfall. A good decision as the hour long trip was a little intense.

If you plan on driving in Tuscany, please, get a GPS. The roads are narrow, winding, and unpredictable.

 Montaione

Our trip to Montaione involved a few too many hairpin turns and switchbacks for my comfort. Our trusty GPS got us safely to our town, which was nestled on top of a hill surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. Stunningly beautiful, if a bit isolated. The town of 4000 personne was surprisingly sophisticated with some lovely shops displaying leather products, absolutely gorgeous clothing, and of course, the requisite wine shops and cafes.

Borgo La Casccia

Our apartment at Borgo La Casaccia, Via della Rocche, Montaione, was wonderful. Francesco Pellegrini, our host and the owner of the property, met us as we arrived just as the sun was setting. We had rented a lovely two bedroom apartment in a complex that included 12 separate apartments. At just under 700 Euro for our 10 day stay, it was a fabulous deal.

 
Our view as the sun was setting. Our apartment faces the "Panoramic Terrace where we have the perfect spot to view the setting sun each evening.

Our apartment

Our apartment consists of two large bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, eating area and small sitting room, a beautiful outside eating area with a spectacular view, two pools, a multilayered terrace, and a wine cellar with wine for purchase. Stunning.

We stopped at the local grocery store and picked up supplies for dinner. Vino, insalata, and of course, pasta. Whipped up a tasty supper in no time, the kitchen was well supplied with all cooking utensils, but no condiments. If you are renting a place through VRBO or some other agency, be prepared to pick up salt and pepper, oil and vinegar, butter and other essentials at a local market before heading home to cook. 

Our bedroom was lovely and cool, a breeze blowing in from the the open window kept the room at the perfect temperature for sleeping. But just in case, I had the fan provided by our host plugged in at the ready, right by my side of the bed. Tim had a wool blanket on his side.

Rome: 
Day Four: 
Saturday September 26th, 2015

Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain 

The blazing sun shining in our bedroom window announced a perfect day for a double decker, 'HOP ON HOP OFF'  tour of the city. We chose the Green Line Tours because of the stop at the Pantheon, not included with other options. At 18 Euro for a full day of sight seeing, it was good value.
You can find someone selling tickets for this tour and others at almost every street corner.

With ten stops at the city's most famous locations, we had lots to choose from. We decided on the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, and the still under restoration, Trevi Fountain.

With my water bottle and trusty fan in hand, I prepared for yet another day of overwhelming sights.

 

We had more than a little trouble navigating the confusing labyrinth of streets to find our way, first to the Trevi Fountain, later to the Pantheon, and finally to the very crowded Spanish Steps. Along our way we serendipitously (is that a word?) came across the Piazza Nuovo and the stunning fountain at its centre.

While perhaps not as impressive as the Trevi Fountain, it was still beautiful and worth a few pictures. The heat of the day had me leaning precariously towards the inviting water until sadly, my husband reached over pulled me back.  Appeased somewhat by the promise of gelato later in the day, I reluctantly left the allure of the turquoise coolness.

Walking down narrow cobblestone streets, fully prepared to find the Pantheon around the next corner,

the sight of this extraordinary building still managed to take my breath away.

The Pantheon

Taking a moment to rest in the shade of one of the colossal columns at the entrance.

The Trevi Fountain

Our next stop was the Trevi Fountain, a stunning beauty undergoing restoration. On one side there was a small pool of water still available for coin tossing. 

The 1954 Romantic comedy, THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN, gave popularity to an old tradition in which it was said that a thirst quenching drink of water from the Trevi Fountain would ensure that the person who drank the water would have good fortune and a fast return to Rome, the Eternal City. This has evolved over time to the present tradition of standing with your back to the fountain, and tossing a coin over your left shoulder, assuring the coin tosser a timely return trip to Roma. 

Naturally I tossed my coin. It is imperative that I come back to Rome. Four days was an impossible length of time to explore all that this extraordinary city has to offer.

The Spanish Steps

Built to link the long, triangular Spanish square (Piazza di Spagna) to the Trinita die Monti church, the Spanish steps have the honour of being the widest steps in Europe. 

In the spring time they are resplendently lined with brilliant azaleas, and always they are a spot for people to gather and just hang out. 

                                                                                                                                                                           At the foot of 135 steps, (and yes, I climbed everyone of them, even in the heat of the day; my trusty fan was most appreciated) is the Barcaccia Fountain, created by Pietro Bernini and his son, Gian Lorenzo.

In the Piazza di Spagna, to the right of the foot of the steps, you can find the house where John Keats, the famous English poet, lived, and died in 1821. It is now a museum dedicated to his memory.

We stopped for a quick bite of lunch at a lovely street side cafe. I chose a deliciously vibrant insalta mista with the obligatory glass of white wine. No pasta.

Of course, our dinner menu will likely include more of that wheat based delight, in one of the hundreds of different forms found here. 

Grocery stores have rows and rows dedicated to pasta, most forms I have never heard of. Perhaps my personal challenge should be to taste every one of them?

In a glorious display of power, our evening skies erupted in cascades of crimson, burnt umber, ochre, and brilliant gold. A fitting end to our stay in this sensuously stunning ancient city .

To quote my dear friend Chris Delaney, "Appropriate that the house of the Sunset Designer is in the foreground."

Arrivederci Roma

Rome: 
Day Three:
Friday September 25th, 2015

The Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica and Square, The Sistine Chapel

Again we booked a front-of-the-line tour and saved ourselves hours of wait time in the interminable lineups. Highly recommended. Our tour guide said that the mornings are worse, and the summer is impossible with even longer lineups, high humidity and heat. Something to consider when booking your holiday.

The security to get through the doors was comparable to that at an airport, with metal detectors, X-ray machines to scan bags, and security guards posted everywhere.

We took the metro to the Vatican, a wee bit confusing as the Vatican is not listed as a major stop. However when you read the fine print the train does stop at San Pietro's Square and the Vatican.





 Our trip was much smoother than the previous day. Coming home from the Coliseum during rush hour, we were 'stuffed' on to the train and had serious concerns whether we would actually be able to force our way out when we reached our stop at Manzoni. Made me think of the trains in Japan where they actually have staff to push people on the trains. Very warm, and unfortunately not enough space to bring out my trusty fan. Yeesh.

We met our tour guide on a set of steps just outside the entrance. Hundreds of people from all over the world mingled with each other, anticipation spread across the faces of all. Easily identifiable as tourists by the radios hanging around their necks via multi-coloured straps.

When we asked our tour guide's name, she paused and thought for a moment, "You can call me Maria." Made me wonder just how confusing her real name must be. Her knowledge was outstanding. She talked for three and a half hours non stop, sharing historical facts about the architecture, paintings, and sculptures, about the architects, painters and sculptures themselves, and about the emperors, and the popes who all had a hand in the creation of this amazing place. 

   When I commented on her extraordinary knowledge, she told me that being a tour guide in Rome     

   is a very difficult task. Each person  must pass a series of rigorous exams in order to qualify.

Be prepared for sensory overload

I knew the Sistine Chapel would be magnificent, but I had no concept of just how much art was held within those walls. Sculptures, paintings, tapestries, and mosaics cover every available space. even the buildings themselves are architectural wonders.

My hands itched to stroke the smooth marble surfaces and I vowed I would return to my own sculpturing when I returned home. I am not a carver, I  create my work by building up layers with clay. I would love to try my hand at carving, a very different and challenging process. Perhaps one day I will give it a go.

Stunning work; the detail is amazing, but you can see the variations in style from piece to piece. In some the proportions are just slightly off, in others, perfection. I could have spent hours just examining each piece, but we were hurried along. So much to take in, I felt dizzy with the beauty.

    Floors

Many of these incredible mosaic floors were disassembled and moved from their place of origin to the Vatican and relaid piece by piece. An incredible feat.

Ceilings

Ceiling after ceiling is covered in the works of the masters. Raphael is my favourite, (sorry Michelangelo, but then, you did try to tell the Pope you were a sculptor, not a painter.) 

We walked through hallways, courtyards, and rooms filled with treasures beyond belief, and again I found myself moved to tears. There was a presence in those rooms, a indefinable something that hinted of a power untold.

So much history. 

Walking through all those rooms, I realized something. Our future generations will not have such a wonderful record as this, for our time in history.  Our new works of art are not so enduring, many realistic paintings representing our world have been replaced by photographs and digital images. They will likely not endure in the same manner. How sad.

I also realized that my true passion lies in realism. While I can appreciate the beauty in works of modern abstract and conceptualized art, it is the depiction of the details of life with accurate realism that moves me the most. Walking through the collection of modern art in one part of the Vatican reaffirmed this.

I was quite taken aback by the number of pagan symbols throughout the Vatican City. Egyptian obelisks, Green gods, even a couple of Sphinx's. The Christians were the ultimate recyclers. They used the pagan symbols and re-purposed them into their own.

St. Peter's Basilica 





A choir was slinging while we were standing in awe in front of the alter. The voices reverberated through the basilica like the music of angels. 









The Holy Door. Opened only during Jubilee years. Following a Jubilee year, the door is walled off until the Pope takes a ammer and knocks down the wall to pen the doors to the pilgrims arriving by the thousands to celebrate the Jubilee.
The last time the door was opened was for the Great Jubilee of 2000. There will be an extra Jubilee this year, in December. Thousands of faithful Catholics from all over the world will flood the city. 


Our tour guide bemoaned the craziness this will bring to her beloved city.

Rome: 
Day Two:
Thursday September 24th, 2015
Woke up to a beautiful sunny day, with stunning azure skies. Ready to take on the day. Carpe diem.

Tim was up early and had already scoped out the route to the Colosseum, only a fifteen minute walk away. When he returned from his hour long jaunt I joined him for another quick walk around.  We grabbed our first cappuccino in Italy, with a freshly baked, warm, and sinfully delicious croissant. A most excellent start to our day.

We walked into a church, (still searching for the name) and came upon 'The Holy Stairs.' A beautiful old building, (aren't they all?) the walls and ceiling painted with beautiful scenes, and ancient marble steps where the devout lined up to take their turn to pray. 

The energy of that place was outstanding.

There was a power there, not sure what exactly, and for some inexplicable reason I found myself moved to tears.

Prayer is an entity of energy, never doubt that.

We booked a 'skip-the-line-tour' through City Wonders to The Colosseum, Palatine hill and the Roman Forum, thanks to our wonderful friend and travel agent, Kellie Neuenfeldt. Highly recommended because the line ups to get in as a single ticket purchaser are enormous.

We chose to walk, to enjoy the beautiful weather, and to take in a bit of Rome on the way. Peter navigated the uneven cobblestones well, but I can see why my friend, John, who is an amputee and often uses a chair, had difficulty during his visit. Accessibility is still an issue here.

                                          The Colosseum

Our tour guide, Helena, was fantastic, very knowledgeable and happy to answer any and all questions. I am in love with the history of this place. To experience it first hand is a dream. As a child I devoured any book I could find in our local library that had even a hint of days gone by. Too bad every student struggling through the history books in school couldn't come here for a field trip. I think we would create a whole new generation of historians if that were the case.

Hard to believe this structure has stood for almost 2000 years. Construction began in 72 AD under the guidance of the emperor Vepasian but it took two more emperors to complete the project. The correct name is actually the Flavian Amphitheatre in honour of those three Flavian emperors. It was built as a venue for public entertainment, to re-earn the favour of the Roman citizens following the turmoil of Nero's destructive reign. Entry to all shows was free. Historians have estimated that it could have held between 50,000 to 90,000 citizen.

The entire structure took only eight years to complete. Considering how long it is taking to put up and take down our Port Mann bridge, and that using every modern convenience, a pretty outstanding accomplishment.

Multiple earthquakes over the years have caused one side to collapse, but most still stands, a testament to the quality of the construction. The complexity of the architecture, including water fountains and toilets for the more important fans, is phenomenal. I can't help but think of our modern structures that are hard pressed to withstand the passage of a hundred years.

During the middle ages the Colosseum was used as a marble quarry and the beautiful white marble facade was stolen and reused, as was much of the iron used to hold the stones together. Now all that can be seen is the travertine stone used for the framework. These steps were once covered in that beautiful marble, and the bricks were not visible.

Palantine Hill

The palace on this hill was added to over the centuries by many different emperors until it covered the entire hill, complete with it's own private stadium, and an island surrounded by pools (for the emperor's use only). It faces the Circus Maximus, and arena used for executions and chariot races. The blood of more than one Christian was spilled on the sand covering the arena.  (The word arena actually means 'sand' in Latin.)

Shady spots were a blessing as the day turned out to be warmer than anticipated. The fan came out on more than one occasion. I think I saw a few women staring in envy. The sweater I brought was also great, for those brief moments when I was actually cool.

After an eight hour day of walking over uneven cobblestones and a few 2000 year old Roman roads, we were happy to return home for a dinner of, what else? Pasta.

Pasta again? I know, I know, wheat is bad for you, blah; blah, blah. But I'm in ITALY for goodness sake. I think if might actually be a sin to not eat pasta while you're in Italy. I'm only trying to be a good citizen.

Tomorrow: The Sistine Chapel, Raphael's Room, and The Vatican and San Pietro's Square, and there's a high probability of even more pasta being consumed.

Probably some more wine too.