Roma continued

Friday - Roma continued

Another beautiful day in Rome. I chatted with Luisa this morning before she left for work and after a shower and some computer work I headed out to the Trastevere Rome train station which is only a 5 minute walk from the apartment and from there took the train one stop to Ostiense stop and got out to visit Eataly the grocery store that opened on 23rd Street in Manhattan over a year ago. I had not idea there were others around the world but I could see the bright blue lights from the balcony at the apartment and when Rossella told me it was something called Eataly I just had to visit to see if it was like the one we have. It's huge to say the least. Ours is very small but this one is incredible and not as expensive as New York probably because they don't have to import all this fabulous food, it comes right from their country. They also have one in Paris. I was so surprised at how packed it was and it's 4 levels which is pretty impressive and everything looked and smelled so good.

After Eataly I took the Metro into town and walked around a bit more near the Colosseum and visited the Pantheon and eventually made my way over to Piazza Navona, Castle St. Angelo and The Vactican. It's amazing how when you start to wonder you get to the same places over and over again.

I took a walk back toward the apartment to pick up my overnight stuff for our weekend visit to Mrs. Muscolo in Bolsena the picturesque lakeside town and their country house.

I started walking and without even knowing it I ended up in a part of Rome that I had accidentally found last time I was in Rome and was out and about on my own. The strange thing is this area by the river is only blocks away from where I'm staying at the Muscolo's apartment in Trastevere. It's funny how three years ago I was just wondering and now I am staying there, you just never know.

I arrived back at the apartment at 4:15pm giving me only 15 minutes to get my stuff and run out to the Trastevere  train station to get the Metro to Rossella's cafe where I was meeting the group to drive up to Bolsena. Mauro, Rossella and Luisa's brother and I left about 5:30pm for the scenic drive up to the country. It took about 2 and half hours but was lovely and went through several small towns including one I think is called Ferento and has an ancient Roman amphitheater still in use for theatrical productions.

Short history on Bolsena, Lazio, Italy - The name comes from the ancient Roman town "Volsinii". The present town is divided into an old, medieval borough along a hill descending to the lake, and a newer part, agricultural and rich of tourist facilities, along the Bolsena lake. The lake, the fifth in Italy and the largest of the volcanic lakes, is 14 km long and 12 km wide, and reaches the considerable depth of 146 mt.  It was founded as Volsinii in 264 BC when Rome relocated the Etruscan survivors of defeated Velzna (today's Orvieto). Archeological excavations performed by the École Française brought to light traces of a circle of walls (6 km) in tuff blocks of the 3rd century BC and two small temples at Poggio Casetta and at Pozzarello of the same period. Under the Romans Volsinii became an important centre strengthened along the Via Cassia. Bolsena is famous for a miracle in 1263, when a Bohemian priest doubting in the real presence of Christ's flesh and blood in the consecrated host, saw blood dropping from the host and staining the Mass linen cloth (called corporal), which is now preserved in the Orvieto Cathedral. On that occasion the Corpus Domini festivity was established.

Thursday - Roma continued 

It was a gorgeous day today, bright sunshine from the start and almost balmy which I love but certainly can be too hot for some.  I heard an American man complaining today when I was taking a rest in a posh hotel near the Trevi Fountain. The first thing he said when he walked up to the front desk was "Is it always this hot this time of year?" And as you can see from the view from my balcony at the apartment this place is so perfect. You can see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as well as other great sights pretty well in the distance. And here is the veranda where we ate dinner the other night, it's right out side my private suite. Mr. Muscolo really made this place so homy and lovely.

So I did some work on the computer this morning which was great, got lots done and for breakfast I had grain bread with this homemade fig jam that Leda, Rossella and Luisa's mother made. It was amazing. The women is incredible with all this garden and cooking stuff. She makes her own olive oil, red and white wine, jam and probably much more but that's all I know of. And I had the last of the fresh figs from their farm as Rossella threatened me to finish them or they would have to be thrown away. Yum, yum!!!

I took a few public buses and the subway to finally get into town. I tried a different route looking for the Eately store they have here in Rome. The one in New York City is nice but apparently the one in Rome is really amazing and I can see it in the distance from the apartment but no one I spoke to on the bus this morning could help me find it although a nice young couple tried. The girl it turns out when to my almamater Leslie College a few years back to learn English. Small world.

So once I gave up on Eately I just headed to the center of town and did the Trevi Fountain and just walked and walked and walked as usual. Once I got a little too tired I stopped in the Piazza S. Silvestro and just relaxed on the marble benches until I was rested and then I thought why not visit another church and S. Silvestro was right there and looked interesting. Well what do you know this church is for English speaking people and as I walked in a couple was just be married. The bride looked beautiful in a gorgeous lace gown and their family, all clearly from Ireland, including the bride and groom ,were happily enjoying the Irish priests talk. They had an Irish harp player/singer and it was lovely. It was the last thing I expected to find in a Roman church on a Thursday afternoon at 4:00pm but nonetheless, there they were and it was nice to go to mass in English.  The priest at the end then gave a bit of information on the church which also turned out to be a fabulous surprise. Michelangelo designed the alter and the relic, St. John the Baptists head, is in the left side alter area. I was just so surprised to find such an incredible church that no one ever talks about, at least not to me and there is John the Baptist in a simple space although behind glass and wearing a beautiful gold crown.

So off to Rossella's cafe and to meet her for dinner with Arturo and Luisa.

Wednesday - Roma continued

Yesterday began with a tram ride to the city where I walked around and worked on the computer some, answering messages from housesitting requests, still nothing, but I keep trying and just getting work done. I found this nice hotel with a comfortable lobby at the Barberini stop on the Metro. That stop takes you to the Tervi Fountain which I didn't go see because I got busy working on the computer. I had lunch in that square at this great and inexpensive Italian buffet. The restaurant is called Enoteca Barberini and for 8.50 euros you get all these great veggie dishes and pasta, pizza, fruit salad and several antipasto choices as well as bottled spring water. It's such a great deal and I have to say the food was fabulous and the staff was so friendly. And that tied me over until I met Luisa at the apartment for dinner around 9pm.

And I got to walk a lot today and did the Spanish steps and back to the Vatican and just all around the city. I tried to go into churches and buildings I hadn't been in before and I found one building early on in the day with this gorgeous old courtyard in the back. I think it was once a palace many years ago and sadly I can't tell you what it is today because there was no way of telling. It was either a library, museum or theater school. Why this is so confusing is there are signs for all three and when I asked someone they had no idea either because it's just not clear. But I roamed around and took some pictures and even took a picture of the stone floor and the criss-cross pattern, something about it just spoke to me. I love that even the streets themselves can be artistic in this city.

The couple I met from British Columbia on the boat in Cinque Terra were telling me about their trip to Rome and the wife was saying how her first visit here made her cry. Not because it was a noisy, congested, overwhelmingly crazy city (which it is) but because there was so much beauty she just started to cry. I thought that was interesting and didn't remember feeling that way on my first few visits her but I can see as I walk leisurely this time and not really do the tourist thing but just be in the city that there is so much artistic beauty in this city that I can see how tears would easily come.  There is something artistic in a door knob or flower planter or pretty much anything you turn and look at here. And then to walk down one street and find a 2,000 year old ruin with a modern house attached to it or over it. The balance between old, new, ancient is staggering and there is never a lack for tourists, more so than NYC, I'm sure. I feel very overwhelmed in this city with the vespas zipping around and the cars honking and the buses screeching and just the sheer volume of people on these tiny sidewalks.

One of the new, very interesting things I observed was a young lady with a municipal bicycle pulling up to this row of metal poles and clicking the bike into place and swiping an automated card. I of course had to go over and see what it was all about, I'm so nosy and there is a big sign that lists all the places in the city where, if you're a member) you can borrow a bike by swiping your electronic card and then ride it to your next destination where there is another municipal hook up station and leave it. I remembered instantly that I heard that Mayor Bloomberg wants to have this kind of system in the city (a bicycle share program) and now I see it really works. It sounded strange when I heard what he had planned but clearly if it can work in this chaotic city it would work well in NYC. You never have to worry about owning and storing your own bike or having to lock it up because it attaches safely to these poles and it's the cities responsibility to keep up the maintenance. It's a great idea and who knows by the time I get back to NYC it may already be in place. And the sign here shows that there are location in just about every major area in town. And yes, I took a picture of the bike as you can see.

I found, along my journey, a wonderful building I don't remember seeing before but houses an beautiful Raphael fresco.The Chiostro del Bramante is attached to the Church of Santa Maria della Pace and is located in the center of Rome. It was built by Bramante in the early years of the 16th century and functions as a cultural center and art gallery, with an emphasis on modern art. Apart from the 1000 m2 of museum space the Chiostro consists of a book shop and a café (and next to this café Raphael’s Sybil can be seen).

I walked along the Vatican's main street and up to Castello Saint' Angelo which is always worth admiring and the angel bridge that leads towards Piazza Navona. I got some lovely pictures from the bridge.

I was in and out of several churches including Sant' Agnese in Agone which is in Piazza Navona. What a beautiful church and I'm not sure why I hadn't gone in it before.  And of course no visit to Piazza Navona is complete with out admiring the fountains with there impressive marble sculptures.

Also, as I now look at some of the pictures I took, I forgot that I found a group of art students drawing a fountain down this little street which was interesting and I also have become obsessed with the public water fountains, not only to refill my bottle but because they're so interesting and this one is at the Vatican and has the Papal symbol carved into it.

Also at 4:00pm I met with this British school and it was very interesting. It was in the Piazza Bolonga and they advertise all over the city. Rossella introduced me to their other school in Eur the night before. They're very nice and Daniella, the women, who met with me was very positive about my qualifications but something just didn't seem right about it. There were people in and out, like a revolving door and everything just seems so hurried and crazy. She did say to contact her in the future but really this just isn't for me. First of all, I realized after my first day in Rome that it's just too, too hectic for me. If I want to live in a big city I'd prefer New York. I know people say NYC is load and crazy but truly, this is the nosiest city I've ever been too. I'm sure in Asia where there are millions upon millions crammed in a city it's much worse but I think for Western cities Rome takes the prize for loudest and most insane. Really the trams/metro and buses are crowded beyond belief and people are always pushing and shoving and it's just plain loud. So anyway, I'm glad I got to actually have an interview but I'm sure there has to be a quiet city to live in or else it's better to just go back to New York. Also, I kind of knew something wasn't right for me when I got back on the Metro to head back to the center of town and I let out three, not so load, meows. Yes, cat noises. Years ago a friend and I think it was either Paul or Jeffy, said I would make meow sounds from my office at The Manhattan Club. So I did start to notice that I did that when I was stressed or busy or just deep in thought and for me to make three in a row, I was clearly not happy with this school or location, although I did think the neighborhood around Piazza Bologna was much calmer then all the others. Or it could be I was just channeling Sooty who was saying "Mommy, Rome is not the place for you to live in!" Cats are so perceptive!!!

So I decided to walk all the way back to the apartment which took about an hour and I visited a few more churches and even found the Jewish neighborhood of Rome which is lovely and since it was Yom Kippur all the kosher Italian restaurants were closed and people were outside talking and some were still in the temple as I could see them because they had the doors open. It's in a pretty central location near Teatro di Marcello on Via Catalana or there about. The Teatro di Marcello is interesting and strangest sights in Rome because one part is a Renaissance place that now is divided into apartments and that palace was grafted on to an ancient theatre (looks like a mini Colosseum) that Julius Caesar began building to rival Pompey's in the Campus Martius.

I had a lovely dinner with Luisa at at pizza place down the street from the apartment.