Rome 2015

Holy Roman Empire (meant as an exclamation ;)) this was a great trip! We met up with Mario's American family in June 2015 for a reunion trip of a lifetime that consisted of Rome, Florence, and London in that order. Mario's American mom, Marylouise, and her partner, Priscilla, glammed it up for the whole family by booking us some swanky apartments--or should I say villas--with a lot of character in Italy. Talk about spoiled rotten.

First stop: 5 Days in Rome 

   

Let us introduce to you one of our favorite people of all time. Priscilla is a senior instructor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, specializing in all things Italian including Italian art and introduction to Italian literature. Once a year she travels to Rome with her students to soak up the Italian art and culture. To sum it up: this woman knows her way around Italy like nobody's business. We realized right away how many doors--quite literally sometimes--knowing the local language opened up since Priscilla spoke Italian fluently. We really couldn't have been in Italy with a better tour guide and historian combined. Upon arrival, Mario and I were already giddy with excitement at all the wonderful things we had planned for our Roman holiday with the family, and with sunscreen in tow, we vacationed like there was no domani.

Mario and I arrived after all his siblings from the US. Priscilla just finished her stint with her students and Marylouise arrived the day before us already. Our first important task in Italy was deciding which bottle of delicious Italian wine best suited the dinner menu.

Mario's sisters, Harlan and Nancy, in their usual end-of-day position, "draining their feet." Works wonders after a long flight or a day of walking.

Priscilla teaching us how to communicate with our hands like an Italian.

Hired chefs preparing a delicious homemade Italian meal right in our kitchen for our first night in Rome.

Bruschetta on fresh grilled bread and roasted veggies.

Spaghetti all' Amatriciana, a traditional dish made with guanciale, or Italian cured pork belly. Call it bacon if you like. Who doesn't love bacon?

Sweet and cool watermelon "pudding" with tiny chocolate chips for dessert. Great for a hot day like this one.

A walk in the cool of evening to the Colosseum after dinner.

Arch of Constantine by night.

The apartment we stayed in was just steps away to the Colosseum so we got a great view of this down the street every evening when returning home.

Our go-to piazza, the Piazza della Madonna dei Monti where all the Monti locals hang out on a warm summer night.

Gelato from the Gelateria dell'Angeletto in the piazza was some of the best. I tried flavors like Rice & Honey, Bronte Pistachio, and Pine Nut Cream.

First day waking up in Rome. The villa was right next to a convent with a small school attached to the other side. Mornings found us waking up to seagulls crying and kids laughing on the playground.

Not a bad setting for a little morning work before we have breakfast.

Harlan having her morning cuppa joe.

Brunch is served.

My kind of spread.

Passing the Piazza della Madonna, aka "Our Piazza", in Monti again.

Warning: Great day ahead

Piazza di Spagna, the poshest piazza in Rome

The famous Fontana della Barcaccia, or Fountain of the Ugly Boat, by Bernini and son, that the Feyenoord hooligans trashed when Feyenoord had a Europa League game with A.S. Roma in 2015.

Marylouise and Priscilla, like peas and carrots.

We couldn't have asked for better weather.

How fitting, there are horses in front of the Longchamp store.

Climbing the Spanish Steps on our way to a 2:30pm appointment in the Galleria Borghese. The house we are passing to the right of the steps was inhabited by the poet John Keats until his death. He once commented about how soothing the water  from the Fontana della Barcaccia sounded as he lay on his deathbed.

The steps are currently closed since May 30, 2016 for renovation, so good thing we went last year!

Views on the way

Rome beyond the Spanish Steps at the top.

Cafe in the Villa Borghese Gardens.

Strolling

The stone pines, also referred to as umbrella pines, of the gardens give it a very distinctive look. Stone pines are the main source of pine nuts harvested in Europe and are native to the Mediterranean area.

We arrive and Priscilla narrates our tour herself for the works of art in the Borghese Gallery. We start off with Bernini's Rape of Proserpina, or Persephone, with 'rape' meaning abduction in Latin and not what we've come to know the word for. Priscilla explained how this is a great example of a Baroque sculpture, capturing the height of action and drama.

The palace had several rooms housing its impressive art collection, but they put their entire budget into the room that currently houses the Rape of Proserpina statue as you can tell by the intricate mosaic tile seen only here within the room. The other rooms were comparably more low-budget with most of the walls covered in, nonetheless impressive, trompe l'oeil paintings meant to mimic the obviously lusted-after marble and mosaic that they for one reason or another didn't or couldn't shell out the money for.

Apollo and Daphne, who is in the process of transforming into a tree to get away from this horndog. Another quintessential Bernini.

David, determination personified in marble. Guess who did this one.

The ever entertaining Caravaggio, whose ragtag team of prostitutes, gay friends, and the ruffians about town were never adverse to playing model for his paintings.

"David and Goliath," with Caravaggio's head as Goliath. The type of self portraiture he likes.

We start to recognize this model that he uses for several of his paintings.

Stunning views of the Borghese gardens from the Galleria.

Great example of Neoclassicism, the tempered style of art that came after the brazen grandeur of the Baroque period.

Priscilla tries to physically recreate the pose of a work of art whenever opportune.

A fun gathering of vintage Porsches outside the gardens.

Making our way back down for lunch.

Neoclassical sculpture on our way back to our apartment in Monti. 

Walking around the Monti area of Rome, to which the Colosseum belongs.

Dusk settling in.

Dinnertime! Priscilla introduces us to her favorite pizzeria in the Monti area, Grazie a Dio e' Venerdi. If you go, the squash blossom and goat cheese pizza is great.

The Gelateria dell'Angeletto, again, the best gelato in the Monti area near our villa.

Of course the Piazza della Madonna dei Monti whenever we were on our way home. Great for enjoying our gelato.

On our way to the Forum for a private tour.

Our guide, Albert, is an archeologist friend of Priscilla who lives in Rome and specializes in all things Roman. He literally answered a list of questions we wrote up. We've been here once before but having knowledgeable guides really made the city come alive. I highly recommend booking a narrated tour or downloading a tour app that can give you insight to the city's sites. There are affordable options for both and are well worth the effort and money.

We were made aware of the veritable layers of history entombed within the Forum, how the alleged story of how Rome was formed was an integral part of everything, and what time eventually does to everyone and everything--all things become forgotten. 

Albert told us that Rome unfortunately does little to preserve the Forum from the elements as well as the acidity of the bird droppings from the hundreds of seagulls that land and build their nests everywhere. While some areas are restored sporadically, most of the vast funds that go toward the maintenance of the Forum go "missing." It's a shame for such a cornerstone of Roman history to endure such ongoing neglect at the hands of its own people.

What was that? Vomitoriums are actually just what they used to call the passageways that let spectators exit rapidly out of a stadium and not a place for Romans to vomit after a big feast? You don't say!

After our more than two hour tour with Albert, we explore the grounds by ourselves.

Beautiful rose garden overlooking the Forum.

View from above.

Mario's sister Harlan, his mom Marylouise, Mario, Priscilla, and Drew, the husband of Mario's sister, Nancy.

Loving every minute traveling with this guy!

The next morning we catch Moses by Michelangelo in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli which was slightly off the beaten path and happened to be on our way to the city from Monti each day.

Nobody else was really there since this was one of Michelangelo's lesser known pieces. Moses is still a stunner though with his silky soft looking beard!

Today finds us doing a bike tour with a company called Bici & Baci, or "Bikes and Kisses" in Italian.

Two wheels ended up working great in this city of small alleys. We were able to snake past tourists to get to our destinations instead of sitting in traffic or using public transportation. Our guide, Carine, was the friendliest expat from Holland ever and told us all about her small olive oil company she's set up just outside Florence. 

Stop just outside the Pantheon.

Built in 118-128 AD, the Pantheon is still an architectural marvel and in great condition to this day since it was in constant use since it was built. 

Inside the pantheon, the oculus lets in the only source of light from outside. The dome is unreinforced, which means it is simply resting atop the base, and it is still a source of wonder as to how they got all that concrete up there.

A refreshing break.

One thing we discovered and had every chance we got while in Italy was granita. This particular one is an espresso granita from La Casa del Tazza d'Oro, a 1956 cafe famed for their great coffees. A traditional granita is just coffee, sugar, and ice--skip the whipped cream. So effective at chasing away the heat and humidity.

Next stop on the bike tour was the Piazza Navona

A little touristy but still grand nonetheless. Street vendors have been a part of the piazza since the 1600's.

Bernini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, or the fountain of the four rivers, a monument representing all the continents that Catholicism has touched.

Flanked by four river gods, each continent--Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Europe--is represented by four rivers along with identifying symbols and animals.

Bernini was almost overlooked as a possible contributing architect for this fountain as his opposers advised Pope Innocent X not to consider him at all.

It took the niece of the Pope to secretly commission a model of the fountain from Bernini and have it placed strategically in view of the Pope to lead to him being won over by the design, practically swooning actually, and insisting on Bernini as the sculptor for the job. Mario and I found this to be a great story that epitomizes the endearingly emotional rather than pragmatic characteristic of the Italian psyche. Beauty above all.

Trying to get a look at the lush gardens behind the French embassy, or the Palazzo Farnese, in Rome. Michelangelo helped design the third story to the facade of the building as well as the courtyard we were trying to see.

Tour done, we got a tip from Carine for a great homemade pasta place that she personally loved.

Great tip! I ordered the very delicious fettuccine with fresh mushrooms but it was the carbonara that was their specialty and the best carbonara I've ever had.

Third day in Rome, high time we went to the Vatican.

Walking the grounds within this tiny city.

Once we made it through the long line inside, we got to see the magnificent Gallery of Maps.

The School of Athens, fresco by the Renaissance artist, Raphael. Considered to be one of his masterpieces, this was one of four frescoes in a room leading up to the Sistine Chapel that was to depict all the major philosophers and players in the arena of knowledge.

The painting clearly features Socrates and Aristotle, but more interestingly, it also features Raphael as a bystander with a black hat off to the right behind the arch.

Papal accoutrements in the museum after the Sistine Chapel. Some of the stuff was just plain decadent as some of the Popes had very expensive taste. Gucci designed robes and slippers were downright commonplace. I would have pictures of the Sistine Chapel as well but you would be able to get much better ones on Google than my camera can sneak since cameras are strictly forbidden within.

The Baldacchino, of course by Bernini, in St. Peter's Cathedral, sits directly over the spot where St. Peter himself is supposedly buried. Choir performing as we enter.

The Pontifical Swiss guards beautifully clad in their colorful uniforms.

We decide to walk home from Vatican City. Balustrade of bougainvillea with posh diners encountered.

Found a great wine bar on the way.

A glass of red wine with family, the perfect way to cap off a visit to the Vatican.

Great menu design with a wine stain already printed on.

Back at Grazie a Dio e' Venerdi, ordered my favorite with arugula and parma ham.

Aaaaaaand, we're back at the gelato place in the piazza!

On our second to last day, we went to my foodie destination of Eataly, Rome. Ever since they'd opened one in New York I've wanted to explore this playground of good eats.

A welcoming food court opens up to a gourmet supermarket specializing in all sorts of Italian tastiness from coffee, to candy, meats and fresh fruits and veggies, as well as gifts. There was a gelato tasting going on that you needed to sign up for to attend, but it looked like such a great idea for a weekend activity.

Pit stop at Illy's Espressamente cafe within Eataly for a jolt of caffeine.

Creamy coffee concoctions here are not to be missed. They have cafes all over the world, including one in Hannover, but the coffees somehow tasted better in Italy.

Cute wax-buttoned stems of pears made for graphic appeal.

The meat and deli counters in the food court. We had a great pasta lunch here.

Later that day we perused the David LaChapelle "After the Deluge" exhibit at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni. These photos reminded me of those old "Eye Spy" games where you had to find an object within a cluttered picture.

The After the Deluge exhibit featured a small curated collection of his work encompassing a few rooms. Fans of LaChapelle will recognize the religious themes and whiffs of mortality often subliminally depicted in his collages and photos of kitsch, trash, and glamour.

Industrial cityscape is actually a photo of a small model he made composed of plastic straws and other mundane paraphernalia.

Can you spot the hair curlers in this one?

View of some of the more religious works of his Jesus series included one of the Last Supper with Jesus and his gang of decidedly hip-hop clothing clad disciples.

Dinner for our last night in Rome: Roast chickens and all the fixings from Eataly.

Herb roasted potatoes. Buona notte, Rome! On to Florence tomorrow.