Firenze day 2: Santa Croce, Bargello, Ponte Vecchio, Boboli Gardens, and Clet

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Patty

“But Italy worked some marvel in her. It gave her light, and – which he held more precious – it gave her shadow. Soon he detected in her a wonderful reticence. She was like a woman of Leonardo da Vinci’s, whom we love not so much for herself as for the things that she will not tell us. The things are assuredly not of this life; no woman of Leonardo’s could have anything so vulgar as a ‘story.’ She did develop most wonderfully day by day.”
– E.M. Forster, British novelist, essayist, and short story writer, from A Room with a View

We had our work cut out for us on our first full day in Firenze! We ended up purchasing a Firenze card, which gives you access to many museums in the city, gets you to the front of lines or at least to a shorter line as many people got those cards, and offered discounts for kids (European kids get in free) stateside. We tried to hit all the major museums on this visit because we wanted the kids to see the major works of art in Firenze. Maybe next visit we can hit the smaller museums and sites, as well as things such as the mosaic and leather schools that our friend Lori recommended to us.

Statue of Dante in front of Santa Croce Church.

The inside of Santa Croce Church.

More Santa Croce interior.

Our hotel, the Hotel Giglio, by the way, is close to Piazza de San Marco and the Accademia, which makes most points of interest within walking distance. That said, Mike wears a Fitbit, and we’ve logged some serious daily miles on this trip (the Coliseum/Forum, Pompeii/Vesuvius/Herculaneum, and today ranked as the days in which we’ve walked the most). The first stop was Santa Croce Church, a 14th-century Franciscan church that holds the tombs of the great Florentines, or as David says, the who’s who of Italian Renaissance. A statue of a stern-looking Dante stands before the 19th century Victorian Gothic façade. Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Dante, Rossini, Galileo, and other notables are buried in this church.

Tombs of famous Florentines every which way you look.

Michelangelo’s tomb. He lived to be 89 years old at a time when the average age of man was around 40 years old.

The domed ceiling of Santa Croce Church.

Right outside Santa Croce Church is a huge square typically filled with vendors in an open-air market type of atmosphere. This time, however, huge steel bleachers were set up for this famous match played on June 24th, which is Florence’s celebration of the festivity of San Giovanni Battista, the city’s patron saint. Our friend Lori, who spent a semester in Florence a couple of years back, told us that we could watch the Calcio in Costume final match, a Medieval style of football played in traditional costume. It’s apparently a violent sport to watch. Today, by the way, is June 23rd, so a day before the festivities. A description of the event conjured up scenes of rowdy crowds, so we decided we’d visit museums on the 24th instead.

At the Bargello, one of David’s and my favorite statues is this bronze statue called Fishing Boy (1876) by Vincenzo Gemito. Here is a detail of the statue. What we loved about it was the real-life pose of a boy struggling to hold onto the fish that he caught.

A detail of Michelangelo’s Bacchus (1496-1497).

One room or sala houses a series of Davids by the likes of Michelangelo and Verrocchio. Here is Donnatello's version (1440).

One room houses a series of Davids by the likes of Michelangelo and Verrocchio. Here is Donnatello’s version (1440).

Francis del Nora’s ethereal Placca di legatura.

The Bargello was our next step. It’s a small enough museum but dense with many statues. David and I had visited here before, but the building is pretty and I really enjoyed the statues. Once we walked through the Bargello, we settled for lunch and then headed over to the Arno and leisurely stroll over the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, which David told the kids was spared by the Nazis during the occupation of Italy because they thought the bridge was beautiful.

Lasagna lunch at Trattoria Palilottino on Via Iola dells Stinche.

Ponte Vecchio over the Arno River.

Family portrait on the Ponte Vecchio.

The DeMay family on the Ponte Vecchio.

Once on the other side, we went to the Pitti Palace (however, we didn’t have time to go through it) and walked around Boboli Gardens. I was so looking forward to going to the coffee house and ordering tartufo, which David and I deemed had the best tartufo among all the places we visited 18 years ago. Alas, the coffee house still exists, though we had trouble finding it, but they no longer serve beverages and dolci. This disappointment did not dampen our trip, however, because of the spectacular view from the top of the gardens. On one side you see the green hills and villas scattered across the countryside. On the other, the view of the city dwellings and, of course, the Duomo. As I mentioned, we didn’t get a chance to even blitz through the Pitti Palace, but we found time to stop at Pitti Mosaic, across the palace, where we bought a tiny mosaic of the Duomo on our last visit. There were some absolutely spectacular intricate mosaics, including a Tuscany villa scene and the Duomo, all for a mere 15,000 and 80,000 Euros, respectively. Sigh.

A view of the city and Pitti Palace from halfway up the steps of Boboli Gardens on a very hot day.

A view from the other side of Boboli Gardens at the top.

At the top of Boboli Gardens overlooking the Duomo and the city.

More spectacular views.

Coming back from the coffee house, we came upon more ways to show off the Duomo.

The fountain behind Pitti Palace.

We were scheduled to meet with Isabella’s friend Sophia and her parents, Charles and Lori (she who spent a semester here a couple of years ago), at the Piazza della Signoria, another area that I could spent hours simply gazing at the statues and taking in the Florentine experience. We finally met up after a case of mixed-up locations, and what a nice reunion it was for two friends who happened to be visiting Firenze at the same time.

Two friends from El Cerrito meeting in Firenze, Piazza della Signoria.

We walked to their favorite gelato place where they treated us to gelato. While we caught up in a nearby park, Lori told us about a French graffiti artist named Clet who lives in Firenze and cleverly alters street signs in the city. Thus began a game of locating his artwork. We found some but not as many as in a link that Lori sent us after our visit. But it was a fun thing to do and something your average tourist would know anything about. If you plan a visit to Firenze, see how many different ones you can find:

A Clet sign – bird pooping on a no-entry traffic sign.

More Clet.

After our visit, we wandered around, trying to find a good place for a Florentine meal. We settled on Caffe Italian Osteria, which had a Medieval vibe to it and very good food, which was only a few doors down from where we had a hearty lunch.

Dinner not far from where we ate lunch.

Picci pasta with meat sauce and a Chianti to go with it.

Picci pasta with meat sauce and fresh bean salad, and a Chianti to go with it. My plate was clean by the end of the evening.

David’s meat skewer and vegetables, beautifully presented.

Chef slicing prosciutto.

On our way home, we walked through the Piazza della Signoria and enjoyed the statues lit up at night:

The Fountain of Neptune at night.

One of my favorite statues: The Rape of Sabine – beautifully lit up with wonderful light and shadows highlighting the human body.

Here are some other photos from our second day in Firenze:

Enjoying “gelato” in a colorful way.

A stylish way to post letters.

Shopping for earrings at small shop, Stilelibero Monili, Via Ghibellina.

A pair of earrings purchased at Stilelibero Momili, which reminds me of earrings a woman from the Renaissance would wear.

Another full day. Tired feet and tired kids mean another round of sound sleep and dreams of what’s next in Firenze.

Firenze day 1: a room with a view or camera con vista

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Patty

“Don’t you agree that, on one’s first visit to Florence, one must have a room with a view?”
– E.M. Forster, British novelist, essayist, and short story writer, from A Room with a View

We got back into our rented Fiat as early as we could and left Napoli with some trepidation. Back onto the bumpy road leading us out of Napoli and onto the autostrada, the Italian highway, and relying on our unreliable GPS with the British voice. But now we understood that we were not to pay attention to her wrong “take the first right turn” commands and instead to look at the map on the screen. I was told the speed limit in Italy is 80, and so that was how fast David and Mike drove. For Italians, the speed limit is meant to be broken by some 10 to 20 mph. I don’t know what’s worse – having an Italian bearing down behind you on the autostrada or being in a city street where three cars are converging into one lane. We took a stop at a rest stop, which is not unlike the typical rest stops in the States. The difference is better food, relatively speaking, and more tourists from different nations.

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore and the Duomo, which was begun in 1296 and completed in 1436.

The view of the Bargello.

The drive from Napoli to Firenze was under five hours. As we headed into Tuscany country, I couldn’t help by attempt to sing Puccini’s O Mio Babbino Caro, the version sung by Kiri Te Kanawa from the motion picture soundtrack A Room with a View – one of my all-time favorite movies. Luckily the kids had their headphones on. David suffered a different fate. Then I attempted to spout off lines from the movie (I’d forgotten many of them, so I enlisted Google when I could get Internet access): “What is it that makes lady novelists reach such summits of absurdity?” (attributed to Cecil Vise); “In my small way I am a woman of the world. And I know where things can lead to.” (Charlotte Barlett); “Smell! A true Florentine smell. Inhale, my dear. Deeper! Every city, let me tell you, has its own smell.” (Eleanor Lavish); “A young girl, transfigured by Italy! And why shouldn’t she be transfigured? It happened to the Goths!” (Eleanor Lavish); “Mother doesn’t like me playing Beethoven. She says I’m always peevish afterwards.” (Lucy Honeychurch) “Naturally, one would be . . . stirred up.” (Reverend Beebe). “Women like looking at a view. Men don’t.” (Mr. Emerson).

Another view of the Cuomo. It just doesn't get old.

Another view of the Duomo with more of the city as a backdrop. It just doesn’t get old.

I digress. Suffice to say, the drive through the Tuscan countryside – the lush green hills, the cypress and olive trees, and the stone palazzi rising from the landscape – made me realize how much I was looking forward to returning to Florence. The food, the history, the art, the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi and the rest of the amazing museums. Just being in the city, anywhere, one has a view.

The Arno River from the top of the Palazzo Vecchio.

Back to our GPS system, which somewhat failed us in that it overshot us past our hotel, we drove into a restricted area of the city. Our friend Charles let us know that cameras catch you driving into these areas and send you a ticket several months later outlining violations you never knew you had committed – for him to the tune of $200. We did not want to repeat his mistakes! The morning clerk at our Hotel Giglio (85 Via Cavour), blocks away from San Marco Piazza and the Accademia, talked us into giving him our car keys and allowing him to move the car one step ahead of the polizia, which he assured us was 95 percent safe. With some misgivings, we surrendered the car keys.

Our hotel in Firenze.

Our room with a view – three flags, one bearing the Firenze insignia.

On our balcony, looking toward San Marco Piazza, the Cuomo, Ponte Vecchio, and the Arno River.

We unloaded our luggage in our hotel room, which was very spacious with high ceilings, a large bathroom by older hotel standards, and one comfortable queen bed and two twin beds. Admittedly, I feel like I’m in a monastery, but I love the old world feel, the A Room with a View austerity with antiquity sensibility. We went in search of a restaurant for a late lunch and settled at Trattoria Za Za (Piazza del Mercator Central, 055 215 411). Of course, I ordered the ribollita, a traditional Tuscan hearty soup made of bread and vegetables. David ordered pappardelle with wild boar. While his pasta was good, if a bit gamey, my ribollita reminded me of how much I loved it the first time I tried it in Firenze 18 years ago. I feel obliged to say that David’s ribollita runs neck and neck with Trattoria Za Za’s classic soup.

The charming Trattoria Za Za - our first meal in Firenze.

The charming and rustic Trattoria Za Za – our first meal in Firenze.

Tuscan ribollita!

We ate inside, but just outside was the traditional outdoor seating with an open-air market on the other side of the piazza.

David ordered papardelle with wild boar.

David ordered pappardelle with wild boar.

Open-air market in Firenze.

After lunch, we took to the open-air markets for some shopping and then we made our way to Santa Maria del Fiore and its famous Duomo, which looks like a lavish wedding cake and which one can never take too many photographs of. We were assaulted, and I don’t use the word loosely, by hordes of tourist groups, mostly Japanese and surprisingly a lot of Americans. At times, ugly Americans. But enough about the tsunami of tourists.

David and me in front of the Duomo’s doors.

For me, what I love about Roma and Firenze is turning a corner and running into a famous monument, so that your breath is taken away the moment your eyes meet marble, stone, a piece of monumental art. And so it was in Firenze. You could see the familiar yet other-worldly deep-orange, herringbone-patterned, brick and marble Duomo. It’s a comforting sight to see and the perfect touchstone and compass to let you know where you are and where you need to be.

The Baptistery doors, which Michelangelo said were fit to be the gates of paradise, are a copy of Lorenzo Ghiberti’s bronze doors.

We ventured to the Piazza della Signora, which is in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Again, Kiri Te Kanawa’s voice swelled all around me as I took in the view of the famous statues on the square. How many different angles and number of photographs can you take of each statue? Again, an infinite number.

The Fountain of Neptune by Bartholomew Ammannati (1575) at the Piazza della Signora.

The Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna.

Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Cellini (1554).

Medici lion by Fancelli and Vacca (1598).

We took in the Palazzo Vecchio and all that art that Medici power and money can buy. It’s quite impressive. We ventured up the tower, which I believe consisted of 240 steps to the near top (the narrow winding steps to the very top was closed to the public, thank goodness). With every landing, I thought we had reached the top because every view of the Duomo was magnificent. But with each landing, there was yet another set of steps. Once we got to the top, the windy was whipping around and we had to catch our breath and rest our throbbing calves. But the view, the view. Breathtaking.

At the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio, a copy of David on the left.

The main room of the Palazzo Vecchio, which serves today as the town hall.

Fun detail of a goat in one of the paintings at the Palazzo Vecchio.

Detail of a painting in the Palazzo Vecchio.

See the fine details and handiwork of the mosaic panels in one of the Medici daughters’ chest of drawers.

We ventured to the archaeological dig exhibit, which is beneath the Palazzo Vecchio. A Roman amphitheater was discovered there and work is ongoing to uncover it. That means the next time we visit we’ll see more of this amazing structure. We were tired and yet not that hungry after the museum visit. We made the unfortunate choice of settling for pizza and panini at a café right off a main street radiating from the Duomo. This was not real Italian pizza or panini. And the gelato was not gelato. I repeat: it was not gelato but ice cream, perhaps made this way to please the tourists. If you have to scoop it instead of using a spatula, if your tubs are mounded sky-high with so-called “gelato,” and if you don’t get a burst of intense flavor, I assure you, coming from this gelato aficionado, you are not eating gelato. I’m yearning for some Roma gelato. But I don’t want to end on a low note on our first night in Firenze. Walking out of our hotel and into the streets or vias of Firenze, I felt as if I were reunited with an old friend. And, indeed, I was.

At the top of the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio with the Duomo in the background.

Napoli day 3: Archaeological Museum and city strolling

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Patty

Nature has granted man no better gift than the shortness of life. The senses grow dull, the limbs are numb, sight, bearing, gait, even the teeth and alimentary organs die before we do, and yet this period is reckoned a portion of life.
– Richard Harris, British novelist, from Pompeii

After yesterday’s frenetic pace, we decided to take it easy today, as did everyone else. It was a Sunday and many shops were closed and only small groups of tourists were on the streets. It seems that everyone was either at the coast on a boat, swimming, or sunning themselves, or at one of the resort towns nearby – Sorrento, Capri, Amalfi. We wanted no such crowds nor did David and Mike want to jump into a car anytime soon. We couldn’t blame them.

An arch on our way to the Archaeological Museum.

An upscale neighborhood in Napoli.

This Sunday was a special day because June 21^st was Jacob’s 15^th birthday, Father’s Day, and the summer solstice. What better way to spend it than at the Archaeological Museum looking at antiquities? The walk from the Majestic Hotel to Piazza Cavour took us through the colorful streets of Napoli – from the ritzy section of high-end boutiques to the city streets where litter, dogs and their feces, and street performers require pedestrians to watch where they are walking.

Piazza del Plebiscito.

The Archaeological Museum is small, which is great because large museums tend to overwhelm me. We spent a few hours poring over the finds in Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae, although most of the items were from Pompeii. The frescoes and mosaics were detailed and preserved. This we already expected from our time at the excavation sites. The Erotic Garden section was interesting to say the least. The pottery, silverware, and other daily life utensils were in amazing shape. I can only imagine the honor bestowed upon these great artisans who fashioned such exquisite and beautiful pieces of art. As Rick Steves recommended, the Archaeological Museum is a must-see companion piece to the excavation site visits.

The grand entrance of the Archaeological Museum in Napoli.

Statue of Hercules from the Farnese Gardens.

Silverware, platter, and a broken mirror.

Detail of a sarcophagus.

Detail of an intricate mosaic on a column.

Another close-up of a mosaic.

Detail from a fresco.

Another well-preserved fresco.

After a lunch of panini at a cute sandwich shop called Cinque Baretteria, we deposited the kids back at the hotel and took a leisurely stroll through the city. On our walk, we found the pizzeria Brandi off of a side street, which had a sign that boasted it had created the Margherita pizza in 1886. We also found the oldest gelateria in Napoli, which goes back four generations. Even though we had gelati at the Tartoria soon after our late lunch, I had to have a gelato at this place. So far, I have tried cocco (coconut), pesca (peach), pera (pear), fragula (strawberry), hazelnut, amarena (dark cherry), cantaloupe (melone), lemon (limone), and Mediterranea (orange). My favorites are fragula and amarena.

The oldest gelateria in Napoli.

Who can resist?

A great sign for a chocolate shop.

Another cute gelateria and pastry shop. Do you notice a trend here?

We got some great views of Mt. Vesuvio and the ocean again. It was very hot under the Neapolitan sun, and any shade or breeze was welcomed. A late siesta was in order, as it’s safe to say that we were all still recovering from yesterday’s marathon through antiquity.

With one last look at Mt. Visuvio with boats in the harbor.

Arrivederci, Napoli! Until next time!

For our last meal in Napoli, our hotel concierge recommended Umberto, a nice restaurant that was only a 10-minute walk from the Majestic. As you can see from the group photo, the walls were decorated with large colorful paintings with themes of Mt. Vesuvio and the sea. The service was attentive and the food was wonderful, which is what we have to expect. We ordered gnocchi, Margherita pizza, meatballs, salmon, pork scallopini, and seafood risotto. I’m used to creamy risotto, but this risotto was al dente. I trust that this is how risotto should be made. The shrimp, mussels, and octopus were fresh and not overcooked.

Umberto's unassuming exterior is deceptive. What looks like a pizzeria is a terrific ristorante.

Umberto’s unassuming exterior is deceptive. There’s a casual elegance about this ristorante.

Last Napoli meal at Umberto.

David’s meatball sampler.

My seafood risotto.

This dark chocolate tartufo featured a hard chocolate shell around it, which was new for me.

Happy 15th Birthday, Jacob!

I have to admit that when we first arrived in Napoli I was apprehensive and unsure about the safety of the area. And then when I heard that we were staying three nights, I wondered if that was too long a stay. But honestly, I didn’t feel unsafe or preyed upon at any time. I’m glad we came in fact. The ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum were worth the trip by themselves. As I walked through I understood the fragility of mankind and was so curious about the life of these residents. I found myself wishing I could go back in time and walk through both cities as an observant guest. The visits have made me want to learn more about the cities, that fateful day, and the archaeological discovery and preservation. And as for Mt. Vesuvio? The trek was worth it for the view that was afforded at the top. Our time in Napoli was splendid and now I wish we had an extra day to explore more of its historical city streets and its neighboring cities. Ah, but that’s for the next trip to Italy.

The kids’ room with a view in Napoli. Our last morning.

Arrivederci, Majestic Hotel.

Napoli day 2 in 10 miles: Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius, and Herculaneum

Posted on June 21, 2015 by Patty

Perhaps Mother Nature is punishing us, he thought, for our greed and selfishness. We torture her at all hours by iron and wood, fire and stone. We dig her up and dump her in the sea. We sink mineshafts into her and drag out her entrails – and all for a jewel to wear on a pretty finger. Who can blame her if she occasionally quivers with anger? – Robert Harris, British novelist, from Pompeii

We arose early Saturday morning with an ambitious agenda for the day – visit Pompeii, hike Mt. Vesuvius, and visit the ruins at Herculaneum (or Ercolano in Italian). The looming question of the day: could we trust our GPS with the British voice to take us to the right destinations in one piece and without constant recalibration? We weren’t sure once we started the car and the GPS said that we had reached our destination. We restarted the GPS, only to be instructed by the recalcitrant Brit that we were to “turn left and take the ferry.” Really? Yes, we got a good laugh out of that.

A typical house with courtyard in Pompeii.

Pompeii: in the direct path of Mt. Vesuvius
The drive to Pompeii was about 30 minutes from Naples. By the time we got there, the tour buses and tour guides waving flags were in full force. You could easily spend a day covering the grounds of Pompeii, but we knew we only had so many hours. We started out in areas away from the main section of the city, which was pleasant because there weren’t that many tourists, relatively speaking.

A bakery in Pompeii. David said that at another bakery archaeologists found 72 loaves of bread in the oven, indicating that it was a typical day when the volcanic ash rained down on the region.

But first a few words about Pompeii. In AD 79, within a 24-hour span, a devastating volcanic eruption from Mt. Vesuvius completely buried the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, along with smaller settlements, farms, villas, and villages along the Bay of Naples. The poet Status wrote two decades later: “In the future, when crops grow again and this devastated wilderness blooms once more, will people believe that towns, people and estates are all buried beneath the soil?” Not in Status’s lifetime would that happen. It took approximately 1,700 years later before Pompeii and Herculaneum would be rediscovered by archaeologists.

A well-preserved fresco in a house in Pompeii.

A well-preserved fresco in a lunch counter establishment in Pompeii.

Researchers estimate that Pompeii was founded in the seventh of sixth century BC by the Osco or Oscans, but was dominated by Rome in the fourth century and then conquered and turned into a colony by Rome in 80 BC. By 79 AD, some 11,000 residents lived in the city. Discovered in 1599, Pompeii would have to wait until a Spanish engineer rediscovered the city in 1748.

A lunch counter in an establishment in Pompeii.

Vesuvius had lain dormant for hundreds of years, so when it erupted it spewed not only lava but a deadly cloud of ash that rose some 19 miles high. Pompeii was unluckily in the direct path of the cloud of ash and both cities were buried when the volcanic cloud of ash collapsed. Several waves of “pyroclastic surges” – avalanches of superheated ash and gas – down the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius. While the ash covered Pompeii up to 16 feet, Herculaneum was buried under up to 75 feet of ash.

Light shining in one house in Pompeii.

As morbid as it sounds, one of the things I really wanted to see were the casts of the victims who died instantly. I remember reading about Pompeii as a child and photographs of the casts made a lasting impression on me. We wandered in and out of the various houses and businesses along the stone streets, which bore ruts from the wheels of chariots. We made our way to the amphitheater, which housed several casts inside a protected structure. The Garden of Fugitives also held a number of casts. They were as fascinating as they were sobering.

A collection of casts in a big center circle in an enclosed exhibit within the amphitheater.

A poignant cast of two people holding one another. You can see the mouth and teeth of the person in the foreground.

A sobering collection of casts of victims in a glass case in the Garden of Fugitives.

We did a loop and ended up at the main area of the ruins, where temples, large establishments, and social gathering places met. This area was overrun by tourists, whereas other sections of Pompeii were bearable. I think that when I come back, I’ll come as soon as it opens and spend more time – checking out the areas we missed and spending more time contemplating the lifestyle of the people of Pompeii and imagining what it must be like to live in such a beautiful city. While we left with much left to be seen, we all agreed that it merely means we shall return.

A panoramic view of the amazing ancient city of Herculaneum.

Herculaneum: buried under 60 to 75 feet of ash
A few people have told David that ancient Herculaneum is actually a better excavation site than Pompeii, simply because it was discovered after Pompeii and benefited from the lessons learned by archaeologists who were excavating Pompeii. We assumed our GPS led us astray again when we pulled up right within a residential neighborhood and saw few tourists outside the gates of a modest sign indicating that it was the excavation site of Ercolano. Once we got in, however, we were literally blown away by ancient Herculaneum.

The back of ancient Herculaneum. Up above is the modern city of Ercolano.

Fresco in the house belonging to freed slaves.

Intact jugs excavated from Herculaneum.

For one, few tourists were there, and we felt as if we had a free reign of the whole site. We got there later in the afternoon, so it was cooling down ever so slightly. When you look down at the site, you see three levels of the ancient city. What’s amazing is that more excavation is taking place, and surely the modern residential structures immediately surrounding the site are sitting atop the rest of ancient Herculaneum. We did see a great deal more of this site, but I would love to come back and see the progress made by the archaeologists.

An amazing mosaic lined with seashells.

Statue head in a bath house.

Mosaic tile floor of a bath house.

We entered the site by a suspension bridge. We saw fragments but also some whole mosaics and frescos in the houses. Both Raissa and David told me that Herculaneum was a more upscale city than Pompeii, and we all remarked that art was more prevalent back then within homes than with today’s residences. And their art was not mobile – it was lasting, and we are able to appreciate the numerous mosaics and frescos, many of which are intricate and colorful.

If you look closely in this house, you can see original wood beams that were charred but left intact by the hot ash and gases.

Charred but intact wooden balcony. Archaeologists found many wooden doors, door frames, window frames, and other wooden building elements throughout Herculaneum.

The gymnasium or sports complex on the back right-hand side of the city.

The original seashore along the Naples coast was more inland back then than it is now. It’s such an amazing place that continued to astonish when we turned a corner in a house and came upon artwork or wooden doors or door frames, window frames, and beams, which were charred by intact. I would vote for coming back to both places, and recommend both sites to any traveler venturing to Naples. I came away from Pompeii and Herculaneum with a deeper reverence for Nature and great appreciation for the engineering and beauty of the people of these two wondrous cities.

A marble frieze.

A sculpture down by the original seashore.

At the bottom level a group of doors open up to casts of skeletons.

Mt. Vesuvius: 30-minute hike up an elevation of 960 feet is worth every step
Okay, so you have to endure the winding narrow roads up the slope, the crazy Italian drivers, the annoying humongous tour buses and their cloud of tourists. And when you stand in line, hoping that you can get in before the horde of French schoolchildren overtake you, you ask yourself: is this touristy place worth the hike?

The rim of Mt. Vesuvius. We made it!

Catching our breath at the top – David, Jacob, me, and Isabella.

In short answer: yes! The hike is not for the feint-hearted. We saw older people and even a woman in a brace walk up the slope, but with the sun beating down on your back and the gravelly path making it extremely difficult to get good footing, the hike is a challenging one. But we persevered to the top. I have to say that I expected looking down into a pool of molten lava, but the volcano hasn’t erupted since the 1940s and if it were in such a state, we wouldn’t be allowed at the top anyway. Once you get to the top, you look down into the giant crater and see rock formations, a deep cavern, and gases escaping from the inside of the slope.

Fog and gas at the top of Mt. Vesuvius.

Commemorating the ascent to Mt. Vesuvius: Nic, Raissa, Mike, and Sofia.

The trail goes perhaps halfway around the rim. We thought it would be cold at the top, but the sun was so hot that we welcomed the fog rolling in and out so quickly. The walk down was much easier. We took the hike after our visit to Pompeii and lunch at the place where we parked. Beware! We were told that our parking fee would be waived if we ate at their restaurant. However, they tacked on a high service charge that more than negated the parking fee and then claimed that their Internet was down and we had to pay cash. While the food was decent, we recommend parking and paying, and eating elsewhere.

The rolling fog lifted now and then. On a clear day you can see Pompeii we are told, but we couldn’t really tell today. But it’s down there somewhere!

David took this photograph of a tour bus. Ah, the irony!

Seafood in Napoli
After Vesuvius we finished off the rigorous day with the visit to Herculaneum. From there, the Enrado-Rossi family and the DeMay family split up for dinner, with the latter celebrating Sofia’s birthday a day later at a well-known local Napolitano pizzeria famous for making the best pizza in the world. We wanted a break from pizza and pasta, and upon recommendation from our garage clerk Massimo, we ordered seafood at Victoria Restaurant by the waterfront. While I had my doubts about eating too close to the tourist area, we were not led astray by Massimo. We came to Italy with expectations of eating fantastic local cuisine, and so far overall we have not been disappointed at all.

David ordered a seafood platter that is nicely presented.

Sea bass with bacon and onions. Yum!

This is our second night in Napoli. Tomorrow we head to the Napoli Museum to see the remains of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and another city, which were excavated and preserved in the museum, and have a leisurely walk around Napoli after today’s marathon.

Chocolate perfitteroles – it’s not gelato but it’s delicious just the same.

An introduction to Napoli

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Patty

Naples is the flower of paradise. The last adventure of my life.
– Alexandre Dumas, French writer

We were sorry to leave Roma, but we were excited to see Naples, or Napoli, as I have never been to this city by the sea. It was about a two-hour drive from Roma to Napoli. One thing that made me a little nervous was Rick Steves’ words to describe Naples – “gritty” and “criminal.” He meant to let tourists know that they should be aware of their surroundings and all would be well if one were watchful. He also reported that 30 percent of the residents are unemployed. Well, our first foray into the Napolitano world was a very bumpy ride into the city and roads filled with crazy drivers who paid little heed to marked lanes. When we hit the main road and the first stoplight, a group of men converged onto the street and two men began washing and wiping the windshield of our car. Needless to say, we didn’t pony up, but we did drive off with one of our windshield wipers sticking straight up. Luckily, while they weren’t happy with us, they weren’t aggressive!

A cropping of white rocks dot the shore of Napoli, with a view of an old fort in the distance.

A crop of white rocks dot the shore of Napoli, with a view of an old fort in the distance.

White rocks, blue sea.

We can joke about this now, but our GPS was not so much as unreliable as the streets were difficult to navigate. The streets, most of them under repair, jogged right and left. In our attempt to get to our hotel, the Majestic Hotel, we ended up going down a one-way street the wrong way. I give David a lot of credit for not losing his cool, even as the two cars heading down the right way were quite impatient with us. As David backed out the car to the end of the very narrow road, we wondered how in the world we would be able to maneuver the car back on the very busy main artery without getting hit from behind! An angel smiled down on us in the form of a truck driver who took pity on us and directed traffic so that we could safely be on our way. We ended up driving around the main part of the city three times before we were able to turn right into the correct narrow street that led us to our hotel after turning right and left and left – coming full circle to the general vicinity of our hotel, meaning near the sign that pointed to our hotel. Instead of the GPS getting us to our hotel, we relied on an elderly Napolitano gentleman who was hanging out on a street corner to point us in the right direction.

Our room with a view – at the Majestic Hotel in Napoli.

Walking along the beach, in search of dinner.

Two young men by the seashore.

By the time we got situated, the day was nearly done. We only had time to take a leisurely walk from our hotel via the walkway along the shore in our attempt to find dinner. We opted for an outdoor restaurant that sported a view of the bay. Given that it was a Friday night, many locals were out, strolling the walkway and enjoying a late dinner as well. It was Sofia’s 20th birthday, so we toasted to her new decade. It was a nice way to end a quite entertaining introduction to Napoli. Tomorrow we have a full day packed with a hike to Mount Vesuvius and visits to Pompeii and Herculaneum!

Celebrating Sofia’s 20th birthday. All smiles with her brother, Nic.

An aesthetically pleasing pizza and a tasty one, too – pesto, smoked provolone, and walnuts.

Walking back to our hotel with the city lit up under a thumbnail moon.

Roma day 4: the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Patty

Our common home is Creation and this common home is being ruined to everyone’s detriment but especially that of the poor. I therefore call for responsibility on the basis of the role God gave us when he created the earth – to preserve and cultivate its garden.
– Pope Francis, St. Peter’s Square, 17 June 15

We were told that Pope Francis comes out on Wednesday mornings and addresses pilgrims and the general audience, although we were slated to take a tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica the following day on Thursday. We missed his speech, a prelude to his upcoming encyclical, his first major teaching letter on climate change and its effect on the planet’s poor. But we did visit his home.

The old entrance to the Vatican Museum.

The dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica rises before us.

David’s brother Michael had taken a tour of Rome a few years back given by a local tour company called Enchanting Tours (561.401.0182 or locally +39 347 256 1664, info@enchantingrome.com) and recommended them to us. There are several tours to choose from, but we decided on the Early Morning Vatican tour. We arrived across the street from the entrance to the Vatican at 7:30am after a brisk walk from our apartment, and were met by our incredibly knowledgeable and passionate tour guide Nicolas.

Our Enchanted Rome tour guide NIcolas was our very gracious host.

Our Enchanted Rome tour guide Nicolas, a very gracious host, explains the backstory of the Sistine Chapel’s fresco paintings by Michelangelo.

The courtyard before entering the Vatican Museum.

David and I had gone through the Vatican Museum on our first trip to Rome, but having a guide give backstory on the many things we saw enriched our visit. The tour lasted 3.5 hours, and there was so much information to process. One of the amazing things I learned is that the Vatican is the second smallest country and yet it is the fourth richest country. Ahem. Perhaps the progressive Pope Francis can do something about that. Politics aside, here are some photos of our tour.

Tapestry depicting King Herod’s killing of all children under the age of two.

Intricate ceiling detail in the Room of Maps.

Country map of the boot that is Italy. Nicolas told us that the mapmakers back in the day drew maps that were 85 percent accurate, which is quite a feat.

The famous painting depicting all the great minds of the day.

The famous painting, the title of which I’m drawing a blank, depicting all the great minds of the day.

La Pieta, taking everyone’s breath away.

Inside Saint Peter’s Basilica, an enormous church by any standard.

A colorful Swiss guard keeping watch over the Vatican.

The end of the tour, in front of Saint Peter’s Basilica.

Strolling the Trastevere neighborhood
We walked along the Tiber River to get to the Trastevere neighborhood, known for its bohemian and artsy shops. Along the way, we encountered colorful graffiti and a long line of white tents that looked to be the start of some summer celebration along the river that would be happening after our departure. While the neighborhood seemed a little rundown and not at all as I remembered it to be, David nonetheless took some great photographs.

Strolling the riverside was very scenic and calming.

Taking a break on the steps, watching ducklings being swept by a river with a deceptive current. Isabella’s skirt matches the color graffiti.

Detail of the front of a residence in the Trastevere neighborhood.

Lots of graffiti in Trastevere.

Yes, David gave change to this homeless man to take his photograph by colorful graffiti.

Yes, David gave change to this homeless man to take his photograph by a garage decorated with graffiti.

Roma in the mirror of a vespa.

Medallions adorning one home back in the Piazza Navona area.

Two-seater bicycle parked between a pizzeria and a kitchen shop.

David, taking candid photographs of us all, catches me off guard.

Our last meals in Roma
The other day, our very nice jewelry shop clerk Alexandra at Achilli Gioielli recommended her husband’s restaurant La Zanzara (Via Crescenzio 84, 39 06 68392227) for dinner. We weren’t able to make a reservation in time, so we opted to go to this restaurant for lunch following our Vatican tour. It was close to the Vatican, although we took a circuitous route trying to find it on our way back to the apartment. What a beautiful and charming restaurant it is. It reminds me of a French bistro. We ate rather early for lunch, and David was able to snap some serene photographs, but by the time we left, the place was packed and boisterous.

La Zanzara on Via Crescenzio, near the Vatican.

Quiet before the lunchtime crowd spills in.

The bar at La Zanzara when you first walk in.

What a delight! While I can’t remember the name of the dish I ordered, my pasta was fresh with strong, bold flavors. The dolci was amazing. I didn’t write the name down and the menu can’t be downloaded. Just trust the photographs to entice you. If I gain 10 pounds on this trip, it will be worth it for all the great food we are consuming.

My pasta with fish, capers, olives, and lemon.

A latte and creamy dessert with flakey pastry.

Latte and chocolate dessert with fruit dusted in sugar.

For our late dinner in Roma, we walked three minutes from our great neighborhood to Il Belli (Via Giuseppe Gioacchino Bello 33, 06 3221031) and sat outdoors to enjoy the warm evening. My ravioli was flavorful, as was the escarole that we shared. After chocolate lava cake and perfetto dessert, our host poured everyone a shot of chocolate for the kids and a shot of chocolate and rum for us adults. Now that is a fitting way to say good-bye to Roma! If we must say good-bye to Roma….

Ravioli, escarole, and a good bottle of red.

Just another sinfully rich dessert - perfitto.

Just another sinfully rich dessert – perfitterole.

I eyed Isabella’s chocolate lava cake….

I will definitely miss and already miss our spacious apartment in Roma. The next time I come back, I hope to be able to stay here again. The place itself and the neighborhood were ideal. I can’t imagine staying anyplace else in this beautiful city. But onwards we go to Naples.

The painting we woke up to every morning in Roma.

The living room painting by Tommaso C, cousin of our apartment owner Alberto.

The living room painting by Tommaso Cascella, cousin of our apartment owner Alberto.

The Dress at 50

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Monthly Archives: June 2015

Firenze day 2: Santa Croce, Bargello, Ponte Vecchio, Boboli Gardens, and Clet

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Firenze day 1: a room with a view or camera con vista

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Napoli day 3: Archaeological Museum and city strolling

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Napoli day 2 in 10 miles: Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius, and Herculaneum

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An introduction to Napoli

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Roma day 4: the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica

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