Italy Day 7

This is the entrance to Calcata.
It's a rainy night in Capena. I'm sitting upstairs with the balcony door open, listening to the rain. I've just finished washing my clothes and I have discovered a new use for the handrail on my stairway........... a clothes line! Logical, right? Hey, it's raining and my clothes need to dry.

I went to Calcata today - an interesting place described as a wacky community of artists. In the 1930's the government condemned Calcata because they were worried that the volcanic rock cliffs on which it was perched would crumble. A new village, Calcata Nuova (New Calcata) was formed not far away. In the 1960's hippies and artists migrated to Calcata Vecchia (Old Calcata) and moved in. Today it houses about 100 residents. It was about a 35 minute drive from Capena on mountain roads. Not a bad drive at all. It was VERY windy and rainy off and on during my somewhat short visit there. There were no people in sight - truly - no people in the village itself.


I love this picture. The sheet centered in the inviting streetscape, fanning in the wind over the old bicycle. For some reason, this picture speaks to me.

A quiet, colorful street in Calcata.







There were lots of archways and plants throughout the town. The stones walkways were quite slippery. No vehicles were in the main city area -- the part through the castle-like entrance.






Pucci, the caretaker of my apartment, visited with me today after I called her with questions about running the washing machine. She gave me some suggestions of day trips to consider. I'm looking forward to exploring Lazio (the region in which I am staying). Tomorrow is supposed to be rather cold and there is a pretty good chance of rain, so I'll hit some of the closer spots. Wednesday I'll take a little longer drive to Tivoli, where I'll visit Villa D'Este, what looks to be a magnificant garden estate. It looks like a full day to see that, so I've decided to wait for a day that should dawn sunny and calm.

Thanks for visiting with me. I'll take you some place interesting tomorrow, I promise. Check back with me when you get a chance.

Italy Day 6 - Rome

Welcome back to Rome. Are you enjoying your visit with me thus far? I hope you are getting a feeling of the wonder that is Italy.

I finally made it to the Colesium today! It was bittersweet to experience it without my brother, Mike because he so wanted the opportunity to get inside. There simply isn't enough time to see all that there is to see here. I rented an audio guide for the tour of the Colesium and it was very informative. I was surprised by the size of the arena as well as the underground rooms that have been uncovered for viewing. Both the audio guide and the written information agreed that, although Christians were against the brutal competitions held here, they were not the victims of wild animals as a general rule. I don't know if history is being rewritten to be more politically correct or if I have been misled in the past. Either way, this fabulous structure is worth visiting.

One of the main roads in Rome, Via dei Fori Imperilai, is closed to traffic on Sundays so people are free to wander up and down the road without watching for vehicles. It lent itself to a more relaxed setting than when I ventured this way yesterday. There were many street performers lining the street today and this gentleman struck me with his truly heartfelt guitar playing. He was clearly playing from the heart and I was pleased to stop and listen to his music.

This is the street as it was today without traffic.

I posted these pictures as an example of how easy it is to miss beautiful artwork as you walk past. These statues are high above regular viewing on the side of this building. This type of thing lines the streets of Rome and made me realize how possible it is to walk the same street day after day and still discover new beauty.

It is 7:15pm here and I just returned from a taxing hike up Via Capena to have dinner only to be told that they begin serving at 8pm. Oh well, I will be ready to eat after all the exercise. I'm entering my blog now to use up the time before I can begin again on my trek for food.

Today was a blustery day here in Italy. It drizzled a little during my time in Rome, but not enough to keep people inside. On my drive home, the wind was blowing the autumn leaves across the road in front of me and I found the sight energizing. I love winter time because the days are unique. Each day brings a new climate --- sometimes cold, driving rain, sometimes a chilling wind, other times a sunny brisk day. Living in Florida makes me long for days that are not the same as the one before.

Dinner - I had to come back and share dinner with you. I went to a closer restaurant than I had walked to earlier, though, of course, it was uphill, also. L'Anatra Grassa (The Fat Duck) is a lovely restaurant about a 5 minute walk from my apartment. I wish I had taken my camera to show you, not only the beautiful, arched ceiling in this little place, but also the presentation of the food. Goodness! They sure know that one eats with one's eyes as well as the palate.

I allowed the server to help me choose my selections. For an appetizer, I chose scallops with truffle. This was served in a large shell resting on a curved glass rectangular plate. I've never had truffles before, but if this is any indication, I will definitely have it again. Following this, I had lobster and pasta - a half lobster in the shell served with thick spaghetti tossed in a very light creamy tomato sauce. The lobster was sweet and tender. I finished with creme brulee. This was a thin layer of creamy custard which allowed for more crispy, toasted sugary topping. I had to gently tap the top to break through in order to eat it. It was amazing! Yum! The dessert cup was sitting on a larger glass plate which had been ever so lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar and decorated with a thin squiggly line of chocolate sauce.

I was grateful that the walk home was downhill! I'm wondering, does food taste better here because it IS better, or because on vacation we just enjoy things more? Perhaps a combination of the two? Whatever the reason, I'm certainly enjoying it.

Italy Day 5 - Rome

Today was Mike's last day here in Italy and we spent it in Rome. The day began rainy and cold, but by the time we made it into Rome, it was sunny and warm. This first picture is of the Trevi Fountain. It was very crowded, but we were able to get a good view of the sculptures and take a picture of each of us throwing a coin over our shoulder to ensure our return to Rome one day.

We spent a good part of the day at the Roman Forum. It is the central area around which the ancient Rome civilization developed and is under constant archeological discovery. The remains of many ancient structures are in this area. It is difficult to take in all of the intricate craftsmanship here. At one point I thought, "This looks like the location of an ancient movie set in Roman times." and it occured to me, "Duh!! This is what movie sets strive to replicate. This is the original, silly!"

For this photograph, we were standing on one of the higher elevations at the Forum and I took a shot of the city with the Forum in the foreground.

The Forum is across the street from the Colesium, but I still didn't make it inside. I have a ticket to explore it tomorrow, so I'll head back to Rome..... alone this time, as my brother will have flown away to Miami by then.

We ended our night by seeing Swan Lake at an opulant, old theatre in central Rome. I wish I had brought my camera in the Opera House to take pictures of the curtained boxes in which one sits to view the ballet, the painted domed ceiling, the carvings on the columns, and the grandeur surrounding us. Originally, our seats weren't together, but we weren't comfortable with the view, so Mike found us better seats. Thanks, Mike. I stood for most of the performance, but it was fine because I was able to see the complete set and all of the beautiful dancing. The full orchestra added so much to the performances. We were both surprised to find that the ballet was 3 hours long...... it seemed to go by much quicker than that. It was the perfect ending to another busy but fulfilling day here in Italy.

Tomorrow I'll walk to the market and get some fresh bread and fruit, make breakfast, drive the 30 minutes into Rome, take a bus the remaining 40 minutes to the center of the city, and head to the Colesium. The rest of the day will fill itself, no doubt.

Italy Day 4 - Civita di Bagnoregio

Civita di Bagnoregio is a city founded by the Etruscans about 2,500 years ago. One person aptly described it as "an island bravely poised in the middle of the air, on the top of a truncated cone, above the immense abyss." An excellent description. The only way to access the city is by a foot bridge, so there are no vehicles inside save for a couple of delivery scooters that serve the needs of the residents.

The visit was, like the previous days in Italy, breathtaking and difficult to adequately describe. It was raining when we first arrived, but we plodded along and explored in the rain -- me under my umbrella and Mike braving the elements with only his jacket and cap protecting him from the chilling rain.
The rain washed streets of this quiet, inviting city.
I loved the leaves crawling up the inside of the entryway. We found them hanging on many of the walls. Each doorway was graced with plants of green and colorful flowers of many varieties. There were a few restaurants in the city as well as a bed and breakfast and a hotel. We ate lunch at what was a olive mill whose grinding wheel still occupied the center of the little restaurant. There were only 4 or 5 tables. Mike had artichoke bruschetta and I had toast with garlic olive oil and beans. Such a simple, fresh and satisfying lunch in a location that screamed old world Italy. The gentleman that served us was kind and patient with our halting italian and asked where we were from. He didn't seem to recognize "Florida" but his face lit up when Mike informed him that he is from Miami.
The mountains were quite visible inspite of the fog and mist. I took many pictures of the view from atop this island in the middle of the air. It was more than worth the two hour drive to see this tranquil setting with more personality than an inatimate object has a right to have.
After our afternoon at Civita, we drove southwest to the coast and stopped at Porto S. Stefano. We had hoped to see an italian sunset over the water, but didn't make it to the west side of the island in time, so we walked along the pier and waterfront. We stopped at a fish market (open to the outside at the side of the sea) and bought a couple types of fish for dinner. While I watched the gentleman clean and fillet our purchase, Mike walked to a local market and bought some greens and lemon to have alongside our fish. We drove two hours home and together created a scrumptous dinner of fresh fish pan seared in olive oil, fresh rosemary, lemon juice, salt and pepper partnered with cooked salted greens and fresh garlic bread. A perfect end to another perfect day here in Italy.

Cortona - Italy Day 3

What an amazing day we had in Cortona! I had such difficulty choosing which of the many pictures and memories to share with you today. It was the happiest of Thanksgivings even though we were in a country that doesn't celebrate it. This first pictures are general shots of the city of Cortona. The photo above is to show you that everywhere (absolutely everywhere) we went today was uphill. I never walked leaning frontwards for so long before --- then of course, leaning to the back going down. It was worth the climbs to see what we saw, though, I must say.

This is a small idea of the town through which we made our way all day. Simply turn after turn of more beautiful buildings, churches, architecture. My brain truly can't take it all in. Even though it was a bit hazy, the views were picturesque. By the way, the weather has been unbeatable since I've been here. Cool enough to be comfortable walking for hours, but not enough to wear a heavy coat. The evenings cool down quite a bit, but still enjoyable being outdoors.

This is the best story............ in Cortona, while looking for a place to eat dinner, Mike mentioned that he saw a group of people congregating in front of this cafe' eating and drinking wine. He said the pork smelled so good that he wanted to see about ordering some, but it seemed like a private gathering because the food was laid outside on open tables. We went over and I asked if we could join them ("Posso?" - which simply means, "May I?") This sweet, pleasant man motioned sure, sure and started serving us pork sandwiches. The most tender, flavorful pork I've ever tasted! Truly! Mike went in and got some wine, we had bruschetta, liver pate', proscuitto, pork, etc., etc. The man kept offering us more and asking if it was good. Everyone was talking and being friendly. When we had had our fill (and I do mean our fill!), Mike practiced his sentences, approached this gentleman and told him it was very good and asked where we should pay. He laughed and said, "No. No." and waved us off saying something about Italian hospitality (I think). I don't know what type event we crashed, but they were more than gracious and we had an absolute blast with them. How's that for Thanksgiving????

A picture of Mike helping himself to some of the wonderful food at the Caffe Il Posto where we crashed whatever event they were having.

Are you tired of my rattling on each night? I do hope you're getting a small feel of the beauty of Italy -- both its scenery and its people. Mike and I were talking tonight ---- dinner in Rome last night, our special evening in Cortona tonight......... I don't know how to top it tomorrow night! We'll keep trying and I'll keep you posted. Thanks for visiting with me.

Italy Day 2

Day 2 in Italy. Still can't get the pictures where I want them, but we'll deal with it. This is Piazza Navona. Beautiful plaza where there are no cars!! So peaceful.

This is the outside of the Pantheon. Took tons of pictures inside and it simply isn't possible to get the feeling of how amazing the marble and the statues and paintings are. And it's a functioning church. Cool, huh?

The restaurant my brother Mike and I ate at in the Piazza Navona. (Mike's sitting at the center table with a cap on.) We returned here in the evening after visiting the Pantheon. During dinner, I suddenly realized, we're sitting in an outdoor restaurant, eating dinner together in Rome, Italy. Who'd'a thunk?

The Coliseum at night. Beautiful. We haven't toured it yet, but we plan to maybe Saturday.

Okay, so here's the day in a nutshell. My brother Mike's been in Rome since Sunday. Today was our day to meet up. I began my drive into Rome and got stuck in a horrendous traffic jam. 40 minutes going 0-10 kph AND you have to visualize Italian driving --- 3 lanes mean 5 cars fit side by side and motorcycles go between cars - both beside cars and in front of cars. If they can almost fit, they're there. So, after 40 minutes I turned around and returned to Capena. About an hour later I started off again figuring the traffic would be fixed. No problems getting into Rome, but it's unbelievably crowded and frustrating to drive in the city. I was stuck at a light with cars forcing their way in and became frustrated. I looked to my left and saw a lovely elderly lady probably in her 80's looking cool and collected in her little Smart car. I lifted my chin and thought, "If she can do it, so can I." I motored on and found a place to park. Literally cheered when I saw a little blue sign with a big P on it and an arrow. (Signs are few and far between in Italy.) I parked and suddenly realized I had no idea where I was. Started thinking...... "If I get on a bus, how will I ever get back here?" I sat down and cried for a minute, called Mike and told him Rome won, I couldn't do it. I was frustrated again. He said he'd call me back, checked the bus schedule, found a way to the Olympic Stadium (I walked around until I realized I was near there) and told me he'd come rescue me!!! Yea!!! I changed my attitude and enjoyed browsing around while waiting for him to find me. My hero!! We had originally planned to meet at around 9am and finally hooked up around 2pm.

The rest of the day was a blast! Mike walks fast and doesn't let any thing slow him down -- including my stopping to take pictures. He showed me some beautiful places. Words truly can't describe the churches and other areas. So much to see.... it's sort of like visual overload. Too much to take in. Mike had researched lots of things and was my guide through Rome. He knew the "back stories" of many places we saw. Too much to share, too many photos to post here.

So............... we found the car, had a blissfully uneventful drive back here to Capena, he's staying with me and we're off to find Cortona tomorrow.

All in all, a wonderful day, in spite of a rough beginning. Perserverance and a little attitude change work wonders. AND Mike got tickets to the ballet for us for Saturday night. Sounds fun, right?

Italy - Day 1

I've made it to Capena, Italy. I'm having a little trouble getting these pictures to be in the order and position that I want them, but I'll work it out. This first picture is the street on which I'm staying. It's a two way road! If an oncoming car comes, one simply stops and backs up until there's a "wide" spot in the road. I always pray that no one comes towards me.

This is the home right across the street from where I'm staying. I think it's most lovely and I love the flowers walking up the stairs.

This picture is of the front of the flat where I'm staying. The door on the lower left corner is my front door. The tiny "balcony" just above is also mine. I am sitting upstairs in my bedroom right now with the balcony door open and listening to the people walking down the street. Of course, they're speaking Italian - which is way cool.

I got in Rome about 8:45 this morning and, after wandering about the airport for awhile, I found my rental company, got my car, hooked up my patient GPS guide, Jack, and headed for Capena. Jack was very patient even though he kept having to recalculate after I missed an exit or turned the wrong way. The 45 minute drive only took me a little over a hour, which isn't too bad considering it's my first time driving here and all the signs are in Italian. heehee

I had no problem finding my flat, but couldn't find Pucci (the caretaker of the flat). A kind 20-something boy walked around with me for about 30 minutes trying to help me find an internet hub I could use to check my old emails for the name of the bar (cafe') that had an extra key. I, of course, couldn't remember the name of the bar I was supposed to go to. We never found one but, as he was leaving me he gave me my first Italian farewell - two gentle, almost-air kisses; one on each cheek. He left me with a "Caio! I hope you enjoy your stay here." I was touched by his willingness to help.

I finally met up with Pucci and she was very helpful getting me settled in. I have a need to "nest" when I travel, so I set up my computer in my upstairs room near the balcony window, opened the house up, put Josh Groban on the Ipod (he's about as European as I have), and unpacked. I walked around town most of the day getting my bearings (sort of).

After a trip to a local produce stand and a stop by a florist, 2 trips to the grocery store, and a second visit from Pucci so she could teach me how to turn on the stovetop............ this is what you get - dinner in Italy. Notice there's only half a slice of bread. I sliced the bread too early, I think, because I kept picking at it while I cooked dinner.

My brother Mike has been in Rome since Sunday. I'll drive to Rome in the morning and the plan so far is that we'll explore Rome tomorrow, then drive to my place and we'll stay here tomorrow night and head off north Thursday to explore some cities we've been reading up on.

It's only 7:30pm here, but I haven't slept since Sunday night -- well, unless you count that head jerking sleeping one does on a plane --and the jet lag is beginning to catch up with me, so I'm going to try and figure out how to work the shower and head off to bed. Until tomorrow..........

Company

Goodness, I'm excited. My brother Michael called me today to tell me he booked his ticket to Rome for this Saturday. He'll be in Rome 2 days before me and stay through next Sunday. I'm going to have company for part of my stay there. How cool is that?!

We had talked about it briefly this past weekend when he drove up here from Miami to be with Sam and me as we scattered my mom's ashes. He had already scheduled the week off for Thanksgiving and, though he originally had other plans, began considering joining me in Italy. It'll be fun to pal around with someone for a few days as we both experience Italy for the first time.

I'll be mobile

Yesterday, after much research and changing my mind, I bit the bullet and rented a car for my stay in Italy. I tried to fight it. I looked up train schedules, bus schedules, eurail passes, etc. After all, Italy abounds in public transportation. Other people master the system of schedules and seem to do quite well. However, I have learned that I'm not most people. As I contemplated my vacation, I was looking forward to experiencing a new culture and seeing the many historical sites afforded in this well-documented and beloved country. But, being a person who sees the fine print in life, I found myself wondering; "Do I have to carry my 2 rather large rolling duffles and my backpack onto the train? Will there be room for them? How do I fit them on the bus? Why do busses not run between 1 and 5? Why are all these schedules in Italian? Why does it cost 30 euros for a 20 minute taxi ride?" etc., etc. Every other aspect of my trip was bringing excitement and anticipation, but I was stressed about transportation. And, when one is on vacation, there should be no stress. Right? You know I'm right.

I was having dinner with Jesse and Krista the other night and mentioned that my favorite thing in England was driving. Turning the bends in the road and having my breath taken away by the beautiful scenery was a definite high point of my trip. I drove to Wales on winding back roads bordered by beautiful pastures and flowers. I had the freedom to meander through small, quaint towns that caught my eye as I motored along. I could stop and take pictures of the centuries old architecture or the private tulip gardens in front of people's homes. (Yes, I did take pictures.) With the my little English friend Gretel (oh, come on, I'm not the only one that names their GPS voice) giving me directions, I felt as though I could go anywhere and she'd always help me find my way home...... like the crumbs dropped by Hansel and Gretel as they ventured away from home. Thankfully, my fate was more favorable than theirs.

Having decided that I'd prefer to rent a car, I had to justify it financially because....... well, I don't know why, just because. I had originally thought it was cost prohibitive, but upon further research I realized the cost I had thought was a weekly charge, turned out to be for 2 weeks. I continued researching and found some deals that were much less than even that. So, I added up the train, bus, and taxi fares that I was sure I'd be paying, tacked on a 3 day eurail pass that I would like to take advantage of and... lo and behold!... it won't cost very much more to rent a car. Yea!! Now I have the freedom to drive to Cortona or get luxuriously lost on the white roads of Tuscany or drive up to Cinque Terre and hike the trail that will take me along the northwestern coast of Italy between 5 fishing villages. Hey, I'm an American. I'm spoiled. I like to come and go on a whim.

Finally, I feel only excitement and anticipation regarding my upcoming trip. My little Smart car and I will hit the roads of Italy and, together with a European GPS system, will be free to roam wherever we please. After all, I mastered driving in England, right? I made it down those narrow, winding roads without incident. Of course, people there spoke English. But, they drive on the left, so I am still capable of learning new skills. Italians drive on the right side of the road, like us. It all balances out, don't you think? (Are you enjoying being privy to my little pep talk?)

Chewing

One of my all-time favorite books on Christian Spirituality is Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. I happened upon it about 6 years ago when I was beginning what I now know as my long journey in the desert. Throughout our lives, some people just seem to "get it" in a way similar to our own heartbeat. I've been told that if you put two violins next to each other and pluck a string on one, the same string on the other violin will vibrate. Music is a sound wave. Each string responds to its own wave, its note. We respond to people differently, I think, because God gave us each our note - our beat - our heart. It has little to do with rating one over the other. Some just reach our sound wave more naturally.

Anyway, Donald Miller must be on my sound wave because it seems as though he gets it. He gets me. My son informed me that Don would be speaking in Casselberry to promote is new book, so I drove over to hear what he had to say. I enjoyed the night and have lots to chew on over the next few days. One the back cover of Blue Like Jazz, Don wrote: "I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. But sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. .... I used to not like God because God doesn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." How true is it that watching someone love something brings that "thing" up to a level of, at least curiosity, at best interest and desire? I was led to God by watching a couple love God. Not by their words or sermons, but by their lives. I wanted to know about that life.....about what made it special..... what made it different. It forever changed my life.

Typical of my life

This is so typical of my life that I had to share it with you. So..... after searching and searching for my camera and deciding it was lost for good, I bit the bullet and bought a new camera today. I am sitting in my dining room reading the online manual for the new camera. I decide to try the super-zoom thingy it has and I point at this little basket across the room into my foyer. I take a zoom picture of the basket and notice a pink bag through the basket. I use the super zoom to see if I can maybe be able to read a logo on the bag and...... lo and behold!!! ............ look closely at the picture to see what is under the pink bag. My camera!!!! My new camera found my old camera. (Not to be confused with the camera I lost in England... it's still lost.) That, in a nutshell, describes my life. But, to look on the bright side, great picture, right? The ultra-zoom really works!!

Observation

I went to the street fest in downtown Eustis for a short time tonight and it was there that I realized something about myself. I am an observer. I don't know exactly when it happened or even if it's a bad thing, but I am not a doer, I'm an observer. I like watching people. I watched people work, I watched people dance, I watched people interact with one another. I enjoyed myself, but had no desire to work, dance, or interact. In the past, I was right in there DOING. Hmmm, what do you think it means? Have I lost my zeal? Am I boring? Something to ponder.