Summer 2019

ITALY 2019

November 4/5

We arrived in Toronto for our flight to Florence, Italy thru Paris.  Thank goodness we had aisle seats.  We arrived in Florence the next day in pouring rain.  We took the tram to the central train station and then began the adventure of finding our VRBO.  We were met by Lucia who orientated us to the apartment and area.  We loved our little Florence apartment and it was in the perfect location for walking to all the sights.  But first we took a nap!!!!  Dinner tonight was 
an outside cafe at the end of the block.  Joe had fish that was prepared without bones at the table.  I had veal with truffle sauce. And of course we had our first bottle of wine.

November 6, 2019

Happy 43rd Wedding anniversary.  Our day began with cappuccino, Cafe Americano and an Italian pastry.  We visited the Duomo. Florence’s massive cathedral is the geographical and spiritual heart.  Its dome is visible from all over the city. The church was begun in 1296 in Gothic style.  It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.  Her statue is right in the middle - above the main doorway and below the round window.  The dome rises 350 feet from ground level.  When completed in 1436 Brunelleschi’s dome was the wonder of the age.n You can climb the dome but not possible today.  Florence’s Baptistry is dear to Florence’s soul.  It is Florence’s oldest surviving building 0 one thousand years old.  The Baptistry is known for it’s doors.  The North doors feature 28 scenes from the New Testament.  Michelangelo called the East doors the Doors of Paradise.

   One of Europe’s greatest thrills is seeing Michelangelo’s DAVID in the Academia Galleria.  When you look into the eyes of DAVID, you are looking into the eyes of Renaissance Man.  This six ton, 17 foot man is the symbol of divine victory over man.  In 1501 Michealangelo Buonarro, a26 year old Florentine, was commissioned to carve a large-scale work for the Duomo.  David is a symbol of Renaissance optimism.

   Several Italian master’s produced iconic sculptures of David - all of them different.  Donatello,s 1430, David is  Young and graceful, casually gloating over the head of Goliath.  Andrea del Vercocchio's 1470, David is wearing military skirt and armed with a small sword.  Both are in the Bargello Museum which was our favorite museum.  Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s David 1623 is in the Borghese museum in Rome.  The Donatello’s David represent the first inkling of the Renaissance., Verrocchio’s is early Renaissance, Michelangelos’ is Renaissance and Bernini’s is the  epitome of Baroque.

   Tonight we ate at Brandolino’s near our apartment as recommended by our apartment host.  Eating in Italy is an appetizer of meats, cheeses.  Then first course is pasta (pici), third course is usually a meat, fourth course is dessert.  Wine, espresso, and more wine!  It was a fun night!

  Sue DiBase - this is for you!  The pharmacy at the Dominican Santa Maria Novella knows the art of fragrance. It is formal as it is historical with dressy no nonsense clerks.  In the main sales room you can sample more than 60 perfumes - as well as face creams, body lotions and powders. Joe who is allergic to many perfumes checked out his fragrance!

  Next we went to The market stalls between the Basilica of San Lorenzo and Mercato Centrale which are full of souvenirs, leather, purses, scarves and tourists.

November 7

November is the rainy season in Italy and we were getting rain.  But we had umbrellas and off we went to the uffizi Gallery.  We are thankful we are not here with a lot of tourists or in the heat of summer. 

   In the Renaissance, Florentine artists rediscovered the beauty of the natural world, in God and the human body.

“My eyes love things that are fair,

and my should for salvation cries,

But neither will to Heaven rise

unless the sight of Beauty lifts them there.

-  Micaelangelo, sculptor, painter, poet

/we took a audio guide tour.  It was overwhelming.  Joe took a picture of everything!  (Being the vegan that I am, all the cheese, meat,wine, made my stomach crazy) o fiddleeeee deeeeeeee - I am in Italy!  Botticelli’s Birth of Venue was my favorite.  According to myth, Venus was born from the foam of a wave.

We walked to Pointe Vecchio for a glass of wine.  There are lots of silver and gold shops and tourists.  The Arno River separates the city center from the Oltrarno 

Italy’s best ice cream - Gelato is in Florence!

And this afternoon Joe and I took a paper marbling class in a studio in Santa Croce with Francesca, a beautiful artist.  She taught us the the art and we made paper.  We wrapped pencils and made book marks.  Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas this year!  Long known as a literary center, Florence offers traditional marbled stationery.

November 8

Bargello Museum - our favorite

It is a museum set in a rustic palazzo with medieval atmosphere.  The Renaissance began with sculpture.  The great Florentine painters were “sculptures with brushes”.

While the stoniness of this building seems to fit its past, it is interesting to note that the independent Duchy of Tuscany abolished torture and capital punishment in the 18th century, when Florence was its capital.  They gathered the tools of torture and executions and burned them right in the courtyard we were standing in!.

Sculpture is is a much more robust art form than painting.  The Renaissance was centered on humanism - and sculpture is the perfect medium in which to express it.  It shows human form, standing alone, independent of church,state, or society, ready to fulfill its potential.

Michaelangelo’s Bacchus 1497.  Bacchus, the god of wine, and revelry, raises another cup to his lips.

We compared Davids here:  Michelangelo, Donatello and Verrochio.

Santa Croce - Santa Croce, one of Florence’ biggest and oldest churches, gives us glimpse into the medieval roots of the Renaissance.  The Church was the centerpiece of a monastary for Franciscans.  Michelangelo, Galileo, Dante Aleghieri, Machiavelli, Rossinie are buried here.Hundreds of people are buried in the Santa Croce complex.  More famous folk line the walls, cheaper spots by the door and people with more money landed closer to the altar.!!!!

November 9

Today we picked up our car at hertz.  Whoever said driving in Tuscany is romantic.  One must have a good GPS and Joe Felsen to do this.  It is not easy.  We have been towed once!  Much too “old” to do this again!  Driving out of Florence was a real adventure and off to Lucca we went.

LUCCA - November 

Lucca is the most graceful provincial city in Tuscany set within a ring of mighty medieval and Renaissance walls. It is at the heart of one of Italy’s richest agricultural regions and hometown of Puccini.  Our favorite meal was in Lucca.  Lucca has some tasty specialities Ceci, makes an ideal cheap snack.  This crepe like garbanzo bean flatbed is good with wine!.  Fargo, dating back to ancient Roman cuisine shows up in soups or a creamy rice like dish.Tortelli is homemade ravioli. Lardo di Colonnata is salami made with cured lard and rosemary, sliced thin as an antipasto.  Meat is served everywhere and often sold by weight.  Buccellato is a bread dotted with raising. lightly flavored with anise and often shaped like a wreathe.

Lucca’s most remarkable feature, its Renaissance wall is most enjoyable to walk, even in the rain.  Lucca has had a protective wall for 2000 years.  There are many lovely shops, leather, ceramics, shoes, etc.

Wednesday is Market Day in Lucca.  Our car was parked in the wrong place on the wrong day!  It was towed!!!!!!  After finding the tow garage and paying the towing fee and police fine we were off to San Gimignano!!!!!!

PISA 

A 15 foot lean from the vertical makes the Leaning Tower one of Europe’s most recognizable images.  Joe climbed the 300 stairs to the top!  In 1990 the Tower was closed for repair and 30 million was spent trying to stabilize it.  Gravity and erosion threatens he Tower.  135 of the  Tower’s 180 marble columns have had to be replaced. 

Art historians figure the Tower leans today as much as it did when Galileo reputedly conducted his gravity experiment there 400 years ago!

VOLTERRA - November 

Volterra with its rustic vitality is a beautifully preserved hill town.  It’s renowned Etruscan arch was built of massive stones in the fourth century BC. A plaque just outside remembers June 30, 1944.  That night Nazi forces were planning to blow up the arch to slow Allied Force advance.  To save their treasured landmark, Volterrans ripped up the stones that pave Via Paota all’Arco, plugged up the gate, and managed to convince the Nazi commander that there was no need to blow up the arch.  Locals claim this is the oldest surviving round arch of the Etruscan age

Alabaster Museum.  

Across from the Etruscan Museum, Alab’Arte offs a fun peek into the art of alabaster.  Although open we did not get to see Roberto Chitis at work.  I bought an alabaster wine stopper!

Roman Theater.  Built in the first century AD, this well preserved theater has good acoustics.   Over time, the theater was forgotten.  It was rediscovered in 1950s and excavated. 

Volterra - The Etruscans who settled here in the 9th century BC made their living trading and working what’s under your feet: alabaster for sculpting and alum for dyes. Revived in the late 19th century, the local artisan industry has been going strong. The town has many Etrucean remains and a medieval appearance.

   L’Incontro. a favorite cafe in the historic center sells chocolates, homemade pastries, and crazy gelato flavors.

   The cliffs of Volterra inspired Dante’s “cliffs of hell”   Their favorite cookie, crunchy with almonds is called Ossi di Morto “bones of the dead” .  

San Gimignano  

Tuscany’s best-preserved medieval town once had more than 70 towers and a visible sign of the town’s wealth in the years running up to the Black Death of 1348.  Only 14 towers remain.

   San Gimignano is surrounded by olives, grapes, cypress trees, and - in the Middle Ages - lots of wild dangers.  Back then farmers lived inside the walls and were thankful for the protection.

Piazza del Duomo and Piazza delia Cisterna, stand side by side in the heart of town.  On Thursday and Saturday mornings, vendors sell their wares.  it also has great gelato!

In the 13th century - back in the Romeo and Juliet days, feuding noble families ran the hill town.  They would periodically battle things out from the protection of their respective family towers.  Skylines like San Gimignano were the norm in medieval Tuscany.

Cinghaiale is served in almost every way: stews, soups, cutlets, and salami.  Joe had boar stew!  Tuscany is normally a red-wine region, the most famous Tuscan white wine comes from here : the inexpensive, light and fruity Vernaccia di Gimignano.

Siena

After Volterra and San Gimignano we were off to our Agroturismo accommodation south of Siena.  What a truly special place.  joe asked “where are we going” as we discovered the winery and olive plantation in a lovely setting where we would spend the next 4 days.  Six people from Minnesota were also staying there and they became fast friends.  We really enjoyed their company and humor.  We all ate dinner that first night in the country kitchen with 3 select wines and a delicious Tuscan meal.  Our breakfasts each day were also full of baked goods and truly and “Barry” breakfast of meats, cheeses, bread.  The cook would introduce us to each item with “For you I have prepared……”  It was treat each morning.  We ate our last dinner here also and enjoyed another notable dinner.  The olives this year were attacked by a pest that destroyed a lot of their harvest in all of Italy.  There are many agroturismo lodgings in Italy.  Many of these are working farms and give a great sense of rural family life.  Our room was very comfortable, yellow, and we easily enjoyed our time here.  Tuscany is a land of splendid vistas.  There are many cypress lined driveways - beautiful.

Siena - Siena was medieval Florence’s archrival. Dominating the medieval trade routes between France and Rome, the city in its day had Italy’s richest banks and finest Gothic architecture. Situated atop three hill, Siena qualifies as Italy’s ultimate “hill town”.  IICampo square is the heart of Siena and first laid out in the 12th century. Siena never fully recovered from the Black Death of 1348-49 which mowed down the population from 100,00 to 30,000.  The city is a living museum for art, architecture and history.  We had coffee and breakfast overlooking the square and Tower. 

The Fountain of Joy marks the square’s high point.  The joy is all about how the Sienese republic blessed its people with water.  The Fountain of Joy still reminds locals that life in Siena is good. Siena’s 17 historic neighborhoods - each with a parish church, well or fountain, and square - still play an active role in the life of the city.  Each is represented by a mascot and unique colors worn proudly by residents. Twice a year on July 2 and August 16 Europe’s most daring horse race takes place on Siena’s Campo.  All this takes place in tribute to the Virgin Mary.

Duomo - Siena’s 13th century cathedral striped bell tower are some examples of Romanesque-Gothic style in Italy.  The cathedrals’s interior showcases the work of the greatest sculptors of every era - Pisano, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Bernini.

   Now we went looking for St. Catherine!  The youngest of 25 children and born to a Sienese dyer, Catherine began experiencing heavenly visions as a child.  At 16 she became a member of the Dominican order.  She lived the life of an ascetic, which culminated in a vision, wherein she married Christ. 

November

Montepulciano -  Curving its way along a ridge is Montepulciano. Under Sienese and Florentine rule, the city still retains its medieval districts, with mascot and flag.  Unfortunately it was pouring rain here today so we headed to Contucci Cantina - noted for the famous wine, Vino Nobile. Before sipping wine we explored the 13th century vaults.  Dozens of barrels of Croatian and French oak cradle the wine through a two year in the barrel aging process.  Each barrel is labeled with the size in liters, the year the wine was barreled, and the percentage of alcohol determined by how much sun shone in the that year.  To be “nobile” wine needs a minimum of 13 percent alcohol.  We bought two bottles! 

They also were beginning the Christmas market on the weekend but the weather did not look good.  It reminded me a bit like the Christmas markets in Germany when Michael, Jenny, Jack and luke were there.

Montalcino - On a hill overlooking vineyards and valleys, Montalcino is famous for its delicious and pricey Brunello di Montalcino red wines.  We did Brunello wine sampling at The Fortezza!  It was wonderful!  We then tried to go to Banfi winery for more Brunello wine but the road had flooded.  So we went to the Abbey Sant’ Antimo Abbey.   Legends suggest that Sant’ Antimo was founded by Charlemagne, who passed through around 781. Most of the abbey’s current structure dates from the 11th and 12th centuries.

Now a bit about Wine: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a high quality dry ruby red made mostly with the Prugno to Gentile variety of sangiovese (70 percent) plus other varieties.  Aged two years - one year of which must be in oak casks - it’s more full bodied than a typical Chianti and less tanic than a Brunello.  Brunei di Montalcin (the little brown one of Montalcinoo) - Names for the color of the grapes before harvest is even more highly regarded and ranks among Italy’s finest and most expensive wines.  Made from 100 percent Sangiovese Grosso grapes, it is smooth, dry, and aged for minimum of two years in wood casks, plus an additional four months in the bottle.  Reserve wines are aged an additional year.  Brussels is designedd to cellar for 10 years of longer.

PIENZA 

Set on a crest and surrounded by green rolling hills, the small town of Pienza packs a lot of Renaissance.  In the 1400s, locally born Pius II decided to remodel his birthplace into a city fit for a pope!  Propelled by papal clout, the town of Corsignano was transformed in five years into a jewel of Renaissance architecture.  It was renamed Pienza.

Nearly every shop sells the town’s specialty, pecorino, a pungent sheep’s cheese.

  We had lunch here and Joe met a young lady originally from Phoenix, Arizona while trying to find a small bit of vermouth for his martini!!!!  Anyone she is now living in Pienza with her boyfriend and they opened a craft beer store nearby.  They invited us for a drink!  They invited us for Thanksgiving if we ccouldn’t go to Venice.  They were living their dream.

Lucignano-

ROME -   We returned the car. Yeah!

  The train from Florence to Rome takes about 2 hours and is delightful.  It is comfortable, fast.  They serve beverages and much better than flying.  Arriving in Rome we found the H bus to Trastevere, a lively neighborhood just over the Tiber River.  Our VRBO manager was there to meet us and introduce us to Rome.  She had a bottle of wine waiting for us.  Cable TV with CNN - have not missed all the impeachment stuff.

   We found our way to the grocery store and had a little restaurant with Porketta - an Italian pork sandwich. 

Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere is my favorite church.  It was made a basilica in the fourth century when Christianity was legalized.  It is said to have been the first church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary.   

Sunday - November 24

It is pouring rain but we had umbrellas and decided to do the Roman Walk as described by Rick Steves.  Rome has many narrow cobbled lanes, piazzas and fountains, boutiques, trattorias, monuments.  Everything is “old”.  One of Rome’s most colorful piazza is Campo di Fiori.  It is a fruit and vegetable market in the morning, cafes in the evening, and pub crawl at night. In ancient times “The Field of Flowers” was an open meadow.  Later, Christian pilgrims passed through on their way to the Vatican, and a thriving market developed.  In the center of the square is a statue of Giordano Bruno, an intellectual heretic that was burned on the spot in 1600s.

Piazzo Novona - Since ancient times the square has been the center of Roman life.  The four rivers fountain is the center by Gian Bernini.  The four river gods represent the four quarters of the world - The Nile, The Ganges, The Danube and Uraguay’s Rio de la Plata. 

The Pantheon is next - my favorite.  The 40 foot single piece granite columns of Pantheion’s entrance show the scale the ancient Romans built on. The greatest wonder of the building is inside - a domed room of perfect proportions that has inspired  artists and architects through the ages.  

The Pantheon was a Roman temple dedicated to all of the gods.  The original temple was built in 27BC.  The dome is mathematically perfect: 142 feet tall and 142 feet wide.  The dome is the most influential in art history.  It inspired Brunelleschi’s Florence cathedral dome, Michaelangilo’s dome of St. Peter’s and the capitol dome in Washington DC.

  One of Rome’s top coffee shops, it dates back to the days when this area was licensed to roast coffee beans.  Men and women come to the bar to drink a cup of espresso all over Italy.

Trevi Fountain - This watery Baroque avalanche celebrates the abundance of pure water, which has been brought into the city since the days of ancient aquducts.  Oceanus rides accrues the waves in his chariot, pulled by horses and horn blowing tritons.  Legend says if you throw a coin in, you’ll be sure to return to Rome.  Coins must be thrown with the right hand over the left shoulder. which Joe and I both did.  I was not overly impressed with the area - it was crowded with shops and tourists - not quite as romantic as I thought!

The Spanish Steps - The wide curing staircase is one of Rome’s iconic sights.  Its 138 steps leads sharply up fro Piazza di Spagna, forming a butterfly shape as they fan out around a central terrace.   Built in the 1720s the steps are called “Spanish” because of the Spanish Embassy to the Vatican is located here.  The main sight here is not the steps but the people  who gather around them.  High class shopping area is at the base and it was lit with Christmas lights.

  

Monday - November 24

Today we met our guide at 6:30Am at the flower stand near the Vatican for our tour of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica.  Our guide had a PhD in art history and we learned 5,000 years of human history (overwhelming).  Sculptures, Tapestries, Maps and Views…..The Popes of the Renaissance felt they deserved luxury.  It was their extravagant spending on palaces that inspired Martin Luther to rebel, starting the Protestant revolution.

    Raphael….Raphael was only 25 when Pope Julius II - the same man who hired Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel - invited him to paint the walls of his personal living quarters.  Raphael lived a charmed life.  He was handsome and sophisticated and painted masterpieces effortlessly.  

  Map Gallery.  This gallery with a ceiling of colorful stucco and lines with colorful maps is beautiful.

Tapesties - Along the walls are tapestries showing the life of Christ.

Gallery of the Candelabra: Classical Sculpture.  We saw Diana, the virgin goddess of the hunt, Artemis, this billion-breasted beauty stood for fertility.  Bacchus, with a baby on his shoulders.  The Church in the 1550 to 1800 decided that certain part of the human anatomy were obscene so fig leaves!

The School of Athens - In both style and subject matter this fresco sums up the spirit of this Renaissance - the rebirth of classical art, literature, and science

Sistine Chapel - The Sistine Chapel contains Michaelangelo's ceiling and his huge The Last Judgment.  The Sistine is the personal chapel of the pope and the place where new popes are elected.  Many art scholars contend that the Sistine ceiling is the single greatest work of art by any one human being.  I agree.

At. Peter’s Basilica is the greatest church in Christendom.  The basilica represents the power and splendor of Rome’s 2000 year domination of the Western world.  Built on the memory and grave of the first pope, St. Peter, this is where the grandeur of ancient Rome became the grandeur of Christianity.  St. Peter’s houses Michaelangelo’s Pieta and Bernini’s towering bronze canopy. 

St. Peter’s is huge and it was very expensive to build.  The popes financed it by selling “indulgences” allowing the rich to buy forgiveness for their sins!

Pieta - Michaelangelo was 24 when he completed this Pieta of Mary mourning the dead body of Christ taken from the cross.  Pieta means pity.  Michaelangelo captures the sadness of the moment.  This is his only signed work.  Michelangelo Buonarroti of Florence is chiseled in the ribbon running down Mary’s chest.  

Joe and I went to Mass here.  Michaelangelo’s dome - 448 feet tall hovers above the altar and St. Peter’s tomb.

The Romans were actually quite tolerant of other religions, but Christians refused to worship the Roman emperor even when burned alive, thrown to the lions, or crucified.  Their bravery, optimism in suffering, and message of love struck a chord with slaves and the lower classes.  The religion started by a poor carpenter grew, despite persecution by fanatical emperors.  In three short centuries, Christianity went from a small Jewish sect in Jerusalem to the official religion of the world’s greatest empire.

Tuesday = November 26

Ancient Rome - The core of the ancient city, where the grandest monuments were built stretches from the Colosseum to Capitoline Hill.  In Caesar’s day, this was “downtown Rome”.

The Colosseum, both is six and purpose is the iconic symbol of the Roman Empire.  Fifty thousand fans would pack this huge stadium and cheer for their favorite gladiators in bloody battles to the death.  I was a bit disturbed to be paying money to see where many people were slaughtered for over 500 years.  

The Roman Forum is ancient Rome’s birthplace and civic center and the common ground between Rome’s famous seven hills.

PALATINE HILL overlooks the Forum.  Supposedly Romulus and Remus were suckled by a she-wolf on Palatine Hill, raised by shepherds, and grew to found the city in 753 BC.

Circus Maximus - Ancient Rome’s popular chariot racing stadium was 2100 feet long and should seat a quarter of a million spectators.  Today only a scant outline remains, but the sunken track has provided a natural amphitheater for concerts.

Eating Europe - Greg has a friend, Kenny who owns Eating Europe.  Tonight we met Dario and 3 other women for our tour to 7 different restaurants in Rome for their specialty.  It was fun and delicious! (Fried Jerusalem artichoke, Porquetto, pasta, pastries, wine, gelato etc.)

Wednesday, November 27

It was a beautiful morning.  Every Wednesday if Pope Francis is in town he has a papal audience open to the public.  We were told we needed tickets which we did not have.  We walked to the Vatican early, got right in and sat in chairs on the periphery where we were told the Popemobile went.  Well it was perfect!  We were 3 feet from Pope Francis as he circled the crowd.  It was very spiritual.  He looked very kind as he kissed babies and blessed newlyweds.  He gave a short sermon in Italian that was translated in 5 different languages.  It was a highlight of our trip to Rome.

In 2013, Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina became Francis I, the church’s 266th pope.  Francis grew up in Buenos Aires in a family of working class Italian immigrants.  He spent his twenties in various jobs (chemist, high school teacher ) before entering the priesthood and eventually Archbishop of Buenos Aires.

After seeing the Pope we walked to the Jewish ghetto for lunch.  From the 16th through 19th centuries, Rome Jewish population was required to live in a cramped ghetto at an often flooded bend of the Tiber River.  The synagogue rebuilt in 1904 stands at the heart of the former seven acre ghetto.  Behind the synagogue is a square called Largo 16 Ottobre 1943, named for the day when Nazi trucks parked here to take Jews to concentration camps. Today there are many little restaurants and stores.  We bought apple strudel!

Collodi....This is the hometown of Carlo Lorenzini, who wrote the  "Adventures of Pinnochio"in 1881

VENICE:

PARIS