Uffizi

The Ponte Vecchio and the Arno from the Uffizi Gallery

We are in Florence; it is the birthplace of the Renaissance; it was home to the Medici; it was where Michelangelo was raised.  Today all these confluences came together for us. We visited the Uffizi in Florence, which was built by Cosimo Medici as an administrative building, which holds works by Michelangelo whose birthday is today. The Uffizi houses one of the largest and best known collections of works of the Italian Renaissance.  Many, many of which came from the Medici collection.  It really takes the better part of a day to peruse the entire collection.  And, that is too much looking to really appreciate specific works.  There were stand outs for us that you will see in flickr.  We took a lunch break on the roof top cafeteria.  It offers great views of the Palazzo Vecchio in the Piazza Signoria.  

Again, there was not a line of visitors waiting to enter the gallery nor were there significant visitors in the gallery rooms.  This was a great situation for us, offering long viewing times with pieces normally swamped by people.  There were, of course, those people who step in front of you to take a picture and then move on. I've watched people stand in front of a magnificent painting viewing it only through their cell phone as they took several pictures. Then, without a look at the painting with their EYES, move on to the next photo opportunity.  Lots of art at flickr.

Observations of two visitors.
   Christy is beginning to talk with her hands.

Giotto's Campanile or We Climb 414 Steps

At the Mercato Centrale

You are never too far from a pig in Florence.  It is either sculpted somewhere, taxidermied in the market, or poised on your plate for enjoyment.  We hit the Central Market today.  It is one of those typical open air European markets that has everything Tuscan your pantry would need. On the first floor are all the specialty shops: the butchers, fishmongers, fruit and vegetable vendors as well as shops selling olive oils, cheese, wines and more. Check it out here.  The second floor has sections dedicated to Italian specialties to buy and dine on. YUM.

We bought some staples, dropped them at the apartment and headed for the Baptistry.  That ticket also got us into Giotto's Campanile.  The Baptistry is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, built between 1059 and 1128. It stands apart from the Duomo because in Medieval times one could not enter the church prior to baptism. We were interested in the door copies which any passerby can see, but also the interior mosaic ceiling.  Made of tiny Venetian glass, it took over a century to complete.  It is very dark inside and was difficult to fully appreciate.  

Since our ticket to the Baptistry included the Campanile, who were we to say no.  As the Baptistry, this bell tower by Giotto is free standing. It mimics the facade of the Duomo with green and pink marble. The sculptures and reliefs one sees now are copies of the originals . The originals are now in the Duomo Museum which we will see tomorrow.  Inside are 414 steps that lead to an observation deck.  There are three levels with platforms for resting and viewing, thank god.  The walk was worth the life threatening effort for the panoramic views including spotting our apartment.  I can safely say we were the oldest climbers but not necessarily hardest puffers. 

To end the day we strolled over the Ponte Vecchio for a beautiful view of the Arno.  Pictures galore at flickr.

Observations of two visitors.

   Some parents need a slap when they bring a coughing child to climb 414 steps in a time            of plague.

Santa Croce

Santa Croce Cloisters

We spent nearly the entire day in the Santa Croce Basilica.  Known as the Florentine Pantheon, it is the burial place of many significant persons.  Michelangelo, Galileo, Dante and Rossini have beautiful tombs along the nave walls, and hundreds of others are buried under foot.  The church has significant frescos by Giotto and Gaddi in its chapels. These had all been white washed over in the 18th century, but subsequently uncovered.  Yea!  The complex includes three cloisters including one by Brunelleschi, he of the famous dome.  In the first cloister, pictured above, is the entrance to the Pazzi Chapel.  This, too, was designed and partially completed by Brunelleschi.  It was never finished because the Pazzi, ambitious and vicious folk, murdered one Medici and attempted to murder the other.  They were subsequently executed, and the family banished from Florence.  

The Florence leather school is connected to the church.  We looked but did not buy.  Tiny pill boxes were 30 Euro.  And, although the leather jackets felt like silk, I'm long past buying a 800 Euro fashion statement.

Today it was clearly visible that the Coronavirus has taken hold of tourism.  There were absolutely no lines of tourists and practically no one in the piazzas.  We had lunch at a nearby trattoria along with a tour group from Mexico.  That was it.  No one else in the place.  

We walked back through Piazza Signoria to find the execution spot of Savanarola, which we did.  And, then had our first Florentine steak.  Huge!  Rare!  We ate it all.  There are many, many pictures of Santa Croce at flickr where we try our best to capture the vast space and beauty of the place.   

Observations of two visitors.

    Whitewashing over a 14th century fresco is never a good idea.

     There is never enough Henry Moore.  (see flickr)

Churches

    Basilica of Santa Croce

     

     

Here Comes the Rain Again....

Via Corso 2, Our Apartment Door

Look at the size of that front door.  It gives you an idea of the height of the rooms in our apartment.  We are delighted with the elevator.  Because even though we are on the second floor, it would be an unwelcome climb of about 60 steps per floor. Oh, plus you know that the first floor in Europe is our 2nd floor.  

The rain has continued today and will for two more days.  It is also cooler here than Rome. Because of the rain, we postponed our walking tour with Pierro until the sun returns.  Meanwhile, we fought the elements and visited the Florence Cathedral.  To our surprise all of the seats are roped off.  I was disappointed because I like to sit and draw in the churches.  I also wondered about those who actually want to worship and can't sit.  The exterior of the Duomo is so beautiful with pink and green marbles.  The interior is a simple gothic design that is a relief after all the Roman Baroque.  The dome, designed and executed by Brunelleschi, was a wonder in its day and remains the largest brick dome in the world.  The overall dimensions are enormous with a length at over 500 feet.  I always use a football field to gauge these spaces, and could just imagine Tom Brady trying to move down that nave.  

We are still getting our feet wet here (ha), taking it slow.  Just a few pictures at flickr.  

Observations of two visitors.

   Sometimes a duomo can seem like Grand Central Station, with no where to sit.

Churches

    Santa Maria del Fiore

    

Bargello Museum

Bargello Museum Courtyard

It rained a lot today putting a damper on sight seeing.  Plus, it is Sunday, and many things are closed.  But the magnificence of the historic center we are in cannot be lessened by a little rain. The pink and green marbles of the Duomo, the open piazzas filled with sculptures, the traffic free zones, all provide the eye with enjoyment.  The Bargello Museum, open today, is an 8 minute walk from our apartment, and holds some of the most notable statuary of the Renaissance.  It was once the headquarters for the police chief, a barracks and prison.  It is the oldest public building in Florence and holds the largest Italian collection of gothic and Renaissance sculptures some of which you may see here. Most notable among the collection is Donatello's David, Michaelangelo's Baccus and Brutus and many Giambologna's.  

Observations of two visitors.
    People will walk under a covered walkway with their large umbrellas opened.  

Next Stop, Florence

Giotto's Campaneli and the Florence Duomo

The train is an easy, comfortable two hour ride from Rome to Florence without any stops.  The only discomfort was the man directly behind us who snorted, coughed and sniffled for the entire trip without once reaching for a handkerchief.  I wanted to throttle him.  

We disembarked and walked the 15 minutes to our apartment.  There we were met by Raffaella, the apartment manager, who spent a good hour with us.  We got her recommendations for restaurants and places to visit.  The owner, Pierro, is coming on Monday to take us on a walking tour.  The apartment is so nice.  Large rooms with 15-20' ceilings, marble floors, beautiful books and paintings.  I feel like a Medici.  LOL. We have a view of the Brunelleschi dome from 2 rooms and the balcony.  The bells serenade us every hour.  

We took a short walk to check out the neighborhood and do a little shopping.  You can see those pictures at flickr. 

Observations of two visitors.

    Italy is doing a very poor job of teaching the cough into your elbow thing.  

   

Arrivederci Roma

A Typical Corner in Trastevere

There is nothing exciting to report today.  We walked in a bright, sunny, warm February day down to the Tiber River and watched people sunning along the banks.  We had the best pizza of the trip for lunch.  We revisited the Chiesa di San Francisco to have a last look at Bernini's The Ecstasy of Ludovia.  We had a last aperitif and light supper at Grazia e Graziella.  Nothing exciting, just wonderful. Same old, same old.

Observations of two visitors.

    You can't parallel park a 10' car in a 8' space.  But you can try for 10 minutes.
     Packing is never fun. 

Churches

    Chiesa San Francisco (second time)

Three Coins in a Fountain

Trevi Fountain

As we wind down our time in Rome, we made sure to return to the Trevi Fountain to throw in coins. We'll be back. Then we sat and people watched for a while, and listened to a podcast about the fountain.  The remainder of the day was a leisurely walk past familiar places (Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Piazza Trilussa) and an early evening home. 

 A few pics at flickr.

Observations of two visitors.

    People (especially women) with selfie sticks are ridiculously vain.

    Beggars using a cell phone will not gain sympathy. 
    Acanthas grows wild, free and everywhere. 

Acanthas

Acanthas, the plant that adorns the corinthian columns.  We have a funny observation we make when worried about losing our memory. It comes from a passage in Ian McEwan's novel, Amsterdam. 
 "Within weeks she was fumbling for the names of things. Parliament, chemistry, propeller she could forgive herself, but less so bed, cream, mirror. It was after the temporary disappearance of acanthus and bresaiola that she sought medical advice, expecting reassurance.
  And, thus, Wayne and I intone "Acanthus" to replace whatever name, place, event we can't remember. 

Churches

    Sant'Agnes in Agone (second visit)

     

Fountians

    All the Piazza Navona Fountains (third time)

    Trevi Fountain

Vatican City

Rome, Christmas 2002

Gallery of Maps, 2020

The Vatican doesn't change in 20 years, but some tourists do.

We employed a tour for today's Vatican visit.  With a tour guide you can skip the lines but not the crowds.  Our guide did say many times, "You are lucky there are not many people today".  And, actually it was very manageable with only the occasional large group of mask covered Chinese.  In the photo above, we are in my favorite area, the Gallery of Maps.  This gallery is 131 yards long, and it is AMAZING.  Yes, there are fresco maps of Italy on the walls of this gallery.  But the ceiling was what wowed me.  Elsewhere, we saw the usual high points which were the Raphael rooms, the Sistine, and St Peter's.  When we were here some 20 years ago, the Sistine's ceiling had not been cleaned.  Today we were able to see the vibrancy of Michelangelo's original works.  We had a nice group of 10, all Americans.  Pictures galore at flickr. 

Observations of two visitors.

    People are now wearing masks.

    

Churches

    St Peter's Basilica

Ostia Antica

Baths of Neptune, Ostia Antica

We took a 30 minute train ride out of Rome to Ostia Antica.  This archeological site once sat at the mouth of the Tiber and over the years transformed from a military base to the major port of trade for Rome.  But then the Tiber decided to change its course, and Ostia became covered in mud.  In the grander scheme, that was a fortunate thing, and protected Ostia from scavengers.  Mussolini excavated the city with abandon to reveal the "glory of Rome".  His rough and crude mannered excavation destroyed a lot of the medieval ruins.  But, all in all, it is a view of how Rome may have looked before modernity buried it.  Please take a look at flickr.

Observations of two visitors.

    Women are starting to use their ubiquitous scarves to cover mouths and noses.

     

Doria Pamphilj

Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, Courtyard

We have been passing the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj on occasion and peeking into the courtyard you see above which opens directly from the sidewalk. Today we finally entered.  The collection dates from the 17th century and includes important works by Caravaggio and the Velazquez painting of Pope Innocent X who began the collection.  To Wayne's delight there is also a Bernini bust of the Pope.  Much like the Gardner Museum in Boston, the collection remains intact and in situ thanks to the Pope's entail.  To me the star of the show, though, was the opulent palazzo.  In need of attention with regard to the ravages of time, it still shines as an entirety of amazing ceilings, walls and floors.  

Church of St Louis of the French

There are so many similar looking baroque churches here that we have difficulty knowing if we've been inside.  But today on the way back from Doria Pamphilj, we noticed this was a French church and had not been inside.  What a find!  Not only was the interior fabulous, there were three Caravaggio paintings in a chapel.  A second church discovery was the Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola with an interesting trompe l'oeil painting in the dome.

The day ended on a high note with drinks on the roof of the Hotel Raphael. I will let the pictures tell the story at flickr. 

Observations of two visitors.

    Piazza Navona is beautiful anytime of day and never gets old.

Churches

     Chiesa di Ignazio di Loyola
      Church of St Louis of the French

A Little Protest then a Little Night Music

Plinth of Pasquino

Today was one of easy strolling and revisiting favorite spots.  The Pantheon is one such spot, and it happens to be very close to Pasquino, the talking statue who currently is expounding upon Trump.  We prepared for a visit with our own complaint.  It read, DUMP TRUMP, Vote Blue No Matter Who, Dear World, We're sorry for this raging, lying fool.  People are constantly stopping and reading the postings.  We did our part to spread the disgust.  

Early evening we attended a concert at San Cecilia of Schubert's Winterreise performed by Sabrina Cortese, soprano, and Daniele Ruffino, pianoforte.  It was quite beautiful and well attended. Pictures of our sunny day at flickr.

Observations of two visitors.

     Glue stick will adhere paper to stone.  

      Folding plastic chairs on flagstone are unstable.  Ouch!

Churches

     San Cecilia, second visit

     Pantheon, second visit

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Via dei Fienaroli 

Above is a picture of the apartment and street where we have been staying.  As evident, the Cooking Class of Rome was truly next door. Our rooms are the first four windows on the first floor.  We've seen only a few other people who live here.  One very nice woman rang the bell to tell us we left our keys in the door.  Otherwise, it's quite for city living with soundproof windows.  

Via dell Arco di San Calisto

Around the corner is the street that leads under the arch and onto Piazza Calisto where people gather by the dozens every night to drink, chat and sometimes listen to street performers. It's a place of conviviality.  This piazza is small and adjacent to the much larger Piazza Sant'Maria. 

Jazz at Piazza Calisto

We hung around the neighborhood all day and tried to revisit some of the churches we like.  We managed to get into half.  A wedding and closures prevented entrance to the others.  So, we stopped in the Piazza Santa Maria for an aperitif of both Jewish and Roman prepared artichokes.  It was decided that the Jewish preparation (fried) is preferred over the Roman (steamed).  

This evening we employed our cooking class lesson and made spaghetti carbonara.  Considering our limited space and utensils, the results were very good.  Pictures of the neighborhood are at flickr. 

Observations of two visitors.

    Always say no to the bread and water offers at restaurants. They ain't free.

    

Churches

     Sant'Cecilia

     Basilica San Crisogono

    

     

Janiculum Hill

Selfie at Fontana Paolo, Janiculum Hill

The Janiculum Hill is in Trastevere outside the boundaries of the ancient city, and not one of the preverbal seven hills.  But it still deserves recognition and visiting because it is the second tallest of all the hills and offers a scenic view of central Rome.  Janiculum is where Garibaldi battled the French during the struggle to defend the short lived Roman Republic of 1849.  There are many monuments to Garibaldi and the fallen soldiers.  One of them, commissioned by Mussolini, has a facist appearance but beautiful gold mosaics in the crypt. Andrea, the guide at the Mausoleum, was very friendly and chatty. He spent a great deal of time discussing Italian history and Janiculum Hill. 

Fontana dell'Acqua Paola

Other than the views, the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola was the highlight.  It was built in 1612 by Pope Paul V to mark the end of the rebuilt Acqua Traiana aqueduct and provide clean water to the residents of the hill. The sculptural theme is water.  

To fortify ourselves for the march up Janiculum Hill, we had our daily stuffing of pasta at Mani in Pasta, another highly recommended spot. The atmosphere was one of busy hustle, tight elbow to elbow tables.  Our waiter was a riot. We told him we would like a dish seen on the table next to us.  So he said, "This dish?"  Grabbed it and tried to serve us.  Everyone took it in stride.  This restaurant is know for its fish so we had vongole and spaghetti.  Pictures at flickr.

Observations of Two Visitors

     Young people will sit on the most dangerous precarious ledges.

      The Italian people are very friendly and nice.

      Garibaldi and Anna Maria, a love story.

Fountains

     Fontana del Prigione

     Fontana  dell'Aqua Paola

      

Aventine Hill Where the Views are Magnifica

View of Rome from the Aventine Hill

The Aventine Hill has a more residential feel than the other hills we've visited.  The 'pines of Rome' are everywhere here, shading large homes of architectural interest.  There are significant churches (where are there not???) and gardens over looking the Tiber and greater Rome.  The Basilica of Santa Sabina was the most interesting church.  It was built upon the ancient Temple of Juno. One of the original columns from the temple can be seen in an excavated area of the church. Santa Sabina is a rest for the eyes after so many Baroque churches.  It follows the simple basilica design drawn out by Constantine in his efforts to begin to serve as a basis for the new Christian churches.  The only existing mosaic tomb cover is here.  

Line for the Key Hole

The beauty of the hill for us was the panoramic view of Rome center, the Tiber and Trastevere.  Many people come here to capture a perfect view of St Peter's Basilica through a key hole in the door of the Priory of the Knights of Malta.  The line was long and looked to take about an hour to reach the key hole.  We opted out and found excellent views elsewhere at the Orange Garden of Santa Sabina and the Garden of Sant'Alessio.  

Felice Testaccio

Early today we had a very nice lunch at Felice Testaccio.  Several sources recommended this restaurant for the best Cacio e Pepe in Rome.  I had it; Wayne had spaghetti carbonara.  I actually preferred his dish because the meat and egg gave it more oomph.  Testaccio sits at the base of the Aventine Hill.  It was once the area of Tiber River trade and a working class neighborhood.  Today, it still has a bohemian vibe and is known for some of the best restaurants.  Panoramic pics at flickr.

Observations of two visitors.

    A 30 degree climb can be worth it for the view.

    People, like sheep, will follow the flock, ie, the keyhole line.

Churches

    Basilica of Santa Sabina

    Sant'Anselmo

Fountains

    Fontana of Santa Sabina

Bernini's Favorite Spot

Sant'Andrea della Quirinale 

Today was a lot of street sight-seeing and some good pizza.  We started with lunch at Dar Poeta, a pizza parlour recommended by many sources as the best pizza in Trastevere.  We had about a 10 minute wait for a packed restaurant.  The parlour is named after the poet, G.G. Belli, and one of his poems is written on the wall. Dar Poeta translates "At the Poet's". They offer a leavened pizza as well as another pretty full menu.  What we've noticed with Roman pizza in general is that the tomato sauce we are so accustomed to in the US is a rarity.  To get a piquant taste one needs to order a spicy sausage topping.  If you ask for a red pizza you get tomato slices baked in.  

Castor and Pollux at Piazza Quirinale

The Piazza Quirinale, near our destination, has a nice fountain with Castor and Pollux and their horses.  It is also where the Italian President lives.  Guardie! Guardie!

The Sant'Andrea della Quirinale is a small church designed by Bernini.  We have learned that it was his favorite creation.  He would go there and sit for hours contemplating his design.  It is a simple oval with acres of marble and soaring dome upon dome.  We were lucky enough to hear a visiting group of teenagers sing.  We think they were from Detroit based on their gear.  

The other church nearby, a Borromini and Bernini's supposed rival, was unfortunately closed.   Sant'Andrea sits in a tight space on the intersection of 2 roads and is considered a masterpiece of Baroque architecture.  All four corners sport fountains.  Borromini designed St Agnes in Agone in Piazza Navona.  A fun legend has it that Bernini designed his fountain of Four Rivers which faces St Agnes so that two of his allegorical in figures that face the church express horror.  It's not true but fun to consider.

Almost home, I finally walked down into the Cat Sanctuary at the Torre Argentina.  The subterranean area is a refuge for rescued abandoned cats.  Pictures at Flickr

Observations of two visitors.
     Walking in Rome is a contact sport.
      Sometimes the way from one road to another entails beaucoup stairs.  And they are       always up.

Churches
     Sant'Andrea al Quirinale
     San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane
    

Marble, Marble Everywhere

Wayne Outside the Baths of Diocletian

It was a full day of walking and visiting three museums and one church.  We've gotten better at realizing the proximity of places we wish to visit and clumping them within one trek.  The three museums are part of the National Museums of Rome.  Saturday's visit of Altemps was the first visit of the four museums.  

Our day started with the Crypt Balbi which stands on the ruins of the the Theater of Balbus.  The ruins are visible deep down inside the museum.  This area of Rome along the Tiber is known as the Field of Mars where military exercises took place (even today the military will use this term for the area where drills and parades are conducted). Fires, floods and earthquakes eventually did in the theater.

From here we returned to the Piazzo Republica where the Baths of Diocletian can be visited.  These were the largest imperial baths in Rome covering some 32 acres.  Most Romans tried to bathe daily not only for cleanliness but as a means of socializing.  It's hard to imagine the original structure from the ruins.  But what clearly remains is Michelangelo's cloister where expressive face sculptures hang over the doors.  In the center of the cloister is a fountain surrounded by four cypresses. It is said that Michelangelo planted these.  

The final museum, Palazzo Massimo is across the street from the Baths.  Wayne was excited to see Boxer at Rest.  Unfortunately, it was under restoration, could be seen but not appreciated.  The Discobolus was there and made up for the Boxer's hospitalization. It is in the most perfect condition of all the Roman copies.

Boxer at Rest, Palazzo Massimo

I found this the best museum of the day.  The frescos and mosaics were captivating and in excellent condition,  The best frescos were from the villa of Livia, wife of Caesar Augustus and mother of subsequent rulers including Nero.  Look her up,  She's pretty savvy, pretty nasty, too.

The Basilica of St. Peter's Chains was on our way home.  This is where Michelangelo's Moses is (and also the chains).  I didn't realize until the visit that this sculpture is only a small part of a tomb planned for Pope Julius II. The initial design was massive and intended for the Basilica of St Peter.  A lot of pictures and some music videos are at flickr.

Observations of two visitors

    62 steps from one museum floor to another is too much for a 70 year old.  

    3 floor of 62 steps each can be a killer.

    Walking in Rome is a contact sport.

    

Churches

    St Peter's in Chains

  

Fountains

    Fontana of the Naiads (2nd time)

Mangia, Bevi, e Sposati

Rome Cooking Class

Today we walked all of three steps to our next door neighbor, the Cooking Classes in Rome.  Here we spent the next four hours getting to know our fellow 'chefs'.  We chopped, we de-boned, we sautéed, we fried, we whipped, we cracked eggs, we made pasta and pizza dough, we ate, we drank.  We learned how to use netting to hold our de-boned, stuffed chicken together.  The carbonara and stuffed chicken were the BEST.  For those of you who might find yourselves in Rome and want a cooking class, I recommend the Rome Cooking Class with Andrea.

Pictures at flickr.

Observations of two visitors.

     Everyone likes to eat.

     Not everyone likes to cook.

     Most people are nice and curious.