Scenes From The "Mostly Art and Some Food" Tour

As Cecilia led us from Capitoline Hill to the Pantheon, we went by some very interesting sites, as well as into the Chiesa dei Gesu.

Every so often WordPress loads the photos in reverse order of how I select them.  This is one of those times.   

Stag on top of Basilica of

St. Eustace.  Eustache, which

rhymes with moustache (and

if it doesn't, just pretend it does

it's more fun that way, was a

Roman soldier who

converted to Christianity

after seeing a vision of

Jesus while hunting.

The stag spoke to him in

the voice of Christ, and that

convinced Eustace.  He was

later martyred.  The rumor

that when Eustace was being

killed he exclaimed, "Oh deer!"

has not been substantiated.

Largo Argentina -- Roman ruins which

include the site where Julius Caesar

was killed by the entire coterie of

Roman Senators.  The gathering

was billed as a toga party and

the senators were told to bring

their own knives.

A demon peeking out from a priest's robes.

The Baroque church of Chiesa del Gesu

(Church of Jesus) is the HQ of the Jesuits

in Rome.  Construction started in 1568

A fountain in the courtyard

of Palazzo Venezia.

Fontana della Pigna, or 

Fountain of the Pinecone.

Pinecones symbolizes

spiritual enlightenment.

The fountain is made of

travertine marble and was

built in 1927.  It's adjacent

to Piazza Venezia in the

much smaller Piazza

San Marco.

A Byzantine Church, Literally

After we conquered the Michelangelo stairs to Capitoline Hill, we climbed the back stairs to Santa Maria in Aracoeli.  

The church was built on the site where Emperor Augustus had a premonition of the return of Mary and Jesus as they were standing on an "altar in the sky" (ara coeli).  

The building dates from the 6th Century (Byzantine era), and was expanded in the 1200s.  There's columns from ancient days, gravestones from medieval times.  Frescoes by Pintuicchio from the early Renaissance, and even some Baroque.  

The French, with their usual class, used the church as a horse stable during the time of Napoleon's occupation.

Back in the day, the main 125-step staircase (which we went down), was climbed on their knees by women who wished for a child.  When Carol said she wanted to climb the stairs on her knees, I quickly said no.  Probably because we already have three children already.  And believe me, that's enough for us!

(Editor: I'm coming to Carol's defense here. . .there's no way she said that.  Writer: Yeah, but my made-up story is more fun.  At least until she reads it.)

I'm going to quote Rick Steves' book as the coda to the stairs/pregnancy story. . ."Today they (Roman women) don't (climb it on their knees). . .and Italy has Europe's lowest birthrate."

The five of us at the front door.

Inside the church.

Ornate ceiling.  We're having

this installed as our

kitchen ceiling.

The three bees are the coat of

arms of the aristocratic Barberini

family.  A member of the family

became Pope Urban VIII in 1623.

His reign was characterized

by the nepotism and pillaging

of ancient Roman monuments.

That led to the expression "Quod

non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt

Barberini" which, as you no

doubt remember from your

youth, means "What the

barbarians did not do, the

Barberini did."

(Some of the best times of

my teenage years was when we

would pull a prank and then

quote that Latin saying to our

friends.  I assume you did the same?)

(Editor: It's a good thing your didn't

become a writer as your full-time

profession.  Writer: Stares blankly.)

From the top of the church stairs, a view

of two domes, including the Vatican.

A look down the church stairs to

Piazza Venezia below.  It's easier

going down than up.  

More of Piazza Venezia, and

Palazzo Venezia.

The view back up the

stairs to the church.

New Album Cover Just Dropped

 

A pair of aging rockers and

their new drummer have

released a comeback album.

There is no truth to the

internet rumor that the

CBGB Club in NYC was

named after the married

couple in this picture.

(Editor: I'm sorry, I don't get it.  

Writer: C'mon man, that photo looks like an album cover of a 1980s British pop band couple trying to make a musical comeback.)

No Whining* About This Wine Dinner

Somehow I skipped over posting about our Wednesday night dinner (Wednesday is when we went to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, The Roman Forum, etc.)  So here it is.

When Jim and Megan Hobart got married on June 29, 2012 in Vermont, they delayed their honeymoon until after the election.  They went to Rome, and I remember Jim coming back talking about a fun small wine dinner they attended in a restaurant's basement.  

Turns out the restaurant, Roscioli Rimessa, still offers the wine tasting dinner for a maximum of twelve people and is only a nine minute walk from our apartment.  The five of us made up nearly of the attendees.  

But, because it was one big communal table, we all sat in a row next to each other, so we ended up conversing more with the people across the table from us than with each other.  And that turned out great.  

I actually had a single mom named Jill (Jill, if you somehow google your first name and come across this post, I didn't want to be the creepy old guy asking your last name).  She was traveling on her own and was delightful to talk with, as was the German couple (everyone else were Americans) who sat across from us.

The dinner was led by an American woman sommelier.  Alas I've forgotten her name, but she did a great job.  I'm a bit confused about her story exactly, but I believe she's been with Roscioli Rimessa for seven years+ after coming one night to the wine dinner.  She and the owner (co-owner) were dating/living together for five years, but they had a bit of a messy break-up (she had some colorful advice about not dating Italian men, so I crossed that off my to-do list).  But she's still leading the wine dinners (they also have a restaurant, as well as one in NYC) two years after the break-up, so it's not all bad.  

(I take full responsibility for whatever facts I messed up in the above paragraph, but I did get the gist of it.) 

I'm all the way to the right, with

Carol on my left.  Jill was blocked

out in the photo, but was to my right.

The German woman across from

us is framed in this shot by 

Van in the green, and Julia

to his right.  The woman

standing is the American who

led the dinner.

The dinner consisted of six wines, all from different wine regions, and six small plate pairings to go with each wine.  It was great trying wines from regions we had not had vino from before (we've had from three of the regions)

The interest that Carol and I had in wine went from zero to 100 when we tasted our first Super Tuscan (some Italians will argue Super Tuscans aren't really an Italian wine, but spare me your snooty takes, he says nicely whilst banging the table.) 

And of course we could order the wines for delivery to the States (or where ever) or for take away.  The prices were fair, but we didn't order any -- we've got enough in our cellars!

The wines were from (in order of serving):

• Emilia Romagna
• Campania
• Toscana
• Sardegna
• Piemonte
• And an Italian vermouth 

The pairs, separated by slashes: Selection of Italian fresh cheeses/Smoked mackerel, Homemade pesto of wild herbs, ashy goat cheese/selection of cured meats/Cacio e Pepe/aged cheeses and Balsamic/sweet buffalo ricotta, vanilla and peaches.

All in all, it was a ton of fun, good wines, good food, and nice to make new friends, if only for an evening.

*    I used the American word, "whining," but this is one of the rare cases when the  British word is better -- whingeing.  If you doubt me, replace "whining" in the  headline with "whingeing."  See, isn't that more fun to say?  Doesn't it make you  feel like a member of the British landed gentry?  You're welcome for brightening your day! 

Sorry, my British friends, but when I say "rare cases" I'm right.  "Elevator" is better than "lift."  "Truck" is better than "lorry." "First floor" belongs on the ground level, NOT on the second floor.  "Soccer" is more descriptive than "football."  And so on.  Anyhow, I'll grant you that "whingeing" is pretty damn good.  Oh, and "whilst" is better than "while."  But that's pretty much it.  Although there are probably other words where British English is better than American English.

That said, I'd rather have a WRITTEN constitution than an unwritten one.

The Smallest, But Most Significant Of Rome's Seven Hills

It's possible I'm the only tourist with a real camera to forget to take a picture of Michelangelo's famed stairway up to Piazza Campidoglio.  If that's true, it's a distinction I wear with pride (not).

Capitoline Hill is a place I had never been before in Rome.  Turns out it was the first place Cecilia took us on the tour.  To be fair to me. . .

(Editor Interrupts: We don't need to be fair to you.  Writer: At least let me explain why I've never been there before.)

The two times I had been to Rome prior, 1984 and 2007, I only stayed for three nights.  So, when making decisions about what to see in that short amount of time, I did not prioritize Capitoline Hill.  And I stand by my decision.

It's been called the smallest, but most significant of Rome's seven hills because it served as the political and religious heart of the city back in the day (and in Rome, the expression "back in the day" does a LOT of lifting.

Now, it is the Renaissance capitol of Rome, featuring statues, the Palasso Senatorio (the mayoral palace), the Capitoline Museum (no, we didn't go this time), fountains, and, tucked around the corner, commanding views of the Roman Forum.

There's also a copy of one of my favorite statues -- the famed she-wolf of Rome suckling the two founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.  Besides being one of the founders of Rome, Romulus also played a key role in Star Trek history, also being the first Romulan.

(Editor: Now you are just making stuff up.  Writer: Yes, and it's glorious!)

We spent some time on Capitoline Hill, taking in Cecilia's discussion about it.  Then we went up another set of stairs to Santa Maria in Aracoeli Church. . .which will be covered in the next two blog posts.

Capitoline Hill Photos

 

Cecilia (on the left) is a great guide.

Everyone in this photo, and the guy

taking the photo, all agree.

A view from Capitoline Hill

over to Trajan's Forum.

The Roman Forum.

She-wolf suckling the founders of Rome,

Romulus and Remus.  Iconic image. 

Fountain statue at City Hill.

Marcus Aurelius, the focal

point of the famed Piazza

del Campidoglio.

Seagull, meet statue.

The piazza, with the Palazzo Senatorio,

the mayor's palace.  Not too shabby.

Van, Julia, Caro, and I look at one

of the views.  (Photo by Maria).

Oh Cecilia, You're A Darn Good Guide, You're Reinforcing Our Confidence Daily

(Title should be sung to the Simon and Garfunkel tune, Cecilia.)

When you book a tour guide, there's always a little nervousness -- is the tour guide interesting, engaging, and understandable?  Most of the time the answer is yes, but every so often the guide is a dud.

Well, not to keep my beloved readers in suspense, but Cecilia Alessi turned out to be fabulous; one of the of the best guides we've ever had.  Not only did she take us to the Pantheon, but she also belongs in our Pantheon of Guides!

Read the other blog posts about the two tours we took with Cecilia to understand how great a guide she is,  and if you are going to Rome, her WhatsApp is +39 347 738 4373 -- you'll be glad you hired her.   (I asked -- Cecilia gave me permission to put her WhatsApp contact in the blog.

(Again, I get no money for anything in this blog -- I just enjoy recommending people, activities, sights, and restaurants we like/love.  To reinforce -- I make ZERO money off any recommendation or link, and I'm happier that way.)

(Editor: Uh, Glen, I hate to break it to you, but nobody would WANT to pay you.  Writer: Harsh but true.)

Cecilia was recommended by our concierge, Claudia.  Both of them are true gems.  It was especially great that Cecilia was so good on our first tour because we had her the very next day for a tour of the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican.  It would have been grim had Cecilia been disappointing, or just so-so, and still have a second tour to survive.

By the way, in Italian, Cecilia's name is not pronounced with soft c's, but hard c's (I never would have guessed).  So it's "Cuh-cheel-yuh" not "Suh-seal-yuh." 

Honestly. learning it's not pronounced with soft c's was breaking my heart.  Heck, it was shaking my confidence daily.  I did NOT get down on my knees, begging her to pronounce it the Simon and Garfunkel way.  However, for fun, but just around Julia and Carol, I referred to her as "Kuh-keel-yuh" which annoyed the heck out of my eldest daughter.  Success!

(Editor: I know Dad jokes are your thing, along with puns and plays on words, but I didn't know Dad Pronunciations are a thing too!  Writer: It's not easy, but I'll do whatever it takes to annoy my offspring.  Somebody has to do it, it might as well be me.)

The Mouth Of Truthiness

The famed Bocca della Verita (the Mouth of Truth) wasn't far from our apartment, so we headed there after the Basilica dei Santi XII Apostoli.

It's on an outside wall of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin Church at the Piazza della Bocca della Verita, which was the site of the Forum Boarium (cattle market).

(Editor: Now you are just showing off, using as many Italian and Roman words as you can.  Writer: Reus! (which means "guilty" in Latin).

Just across the street from the church with is part of the Piazza which includes the Temple of Hercules Victor, where the Mouth of Truth is believed to have originated.

According to Wikipedia:

"According to an enduring medieval legend, it will bite off the hand of any liar who places their hand in its mouth, or, alternatively, any who utters a lie while their hand is in the mouth."

In the movie 1953 rom com movie "Roman Holiday," Gregory Peck shocks Aubrey Hepburn's character by pretending to lose his hand.  (Spoiler alert: Peck did NOT, in fact, lose his hand.)

The Mouth of Truth is an ancient Roman marble mask, believed to be the god Oceanus.  It weighs a staggering 2,900 lbs, so if it falls off the wall whilst your hand is in it, you WILL lose your hand.  But that's pretty much the only way that would happen.

It is believed to have been a water drain cover across the street at one of the temples dedicated to Hercules, or it was used by cattle merchants to drain the blood of cows sacrificed to Hercules.  Either way, it's a touristy yet fun thing to do.  (If you find the photos below too campy for you to go there whilst in Rome, please stop reading this blog and read one about learning to have fun and enjoy yourself.)

When we arrived, there was a bit of a line, but nothing that we could handle.  The line moved along. . .thanks to a person at the end and at the front of the line to keep people moving.  Once you get within sight of it (as the people ahead of you make it difficult to see), the circular disc looks like an ancient Roman emoji. 😉

Our hands emerged from the

Mouth of Truth intact, so that's

a good outcome.

I gotta admit, it's a surprising

outcome for a political

consultant.  I expected to

at lose a few fingers

at the least.

Julia also emerged unscathed,

undoubtedly because of the UVA

Honor Code.

After that we headed into the church, where we bopped around for a brief look, including going downstairs to the crypt of Pope Adrian.

Roman columns across the

street from the church.

The dove in the church

represents the Holy Spirit.

The church at dusk.  The Mouth

of Truth is located inside the

portico by the furthest left arch.

On the way back to our nearby apartment to get ready for dinner, we stopped in at our local.  In England, "our local" means the pub you go to.  In Rome, "our local" refers to the nearest church, given how many there are of them.  

Santa Maria in Portico de Campitelli is a Baroque church that took eight years to build, and was completed in 1667.  You don't need to go out of your way to go to it, and since it was right down the street from our apartment, we actually didn't go out of our way.

From the outside, it's not the prettiest church, but it was neat spending a week listening to its church bells ring in the mornings and evenings.

The facade has both ionic columns (which are kind of iconic) and Corinthian columns, the latter type Ricardo Montalban especially appreciates.

She looks like an angel. (Of

course, our daughters looked

like angels when they were

sleeping, but then they woke up.)

Random fresco in the

church.  Gotta love it.

Going For Baroque

After the Glory of Rome morning (Colosseum, Palatine Hill, The Forum) we went to lunch, at Antica Trattoria Angelino, just a two minute walk away from our apartment

It is so fantastic we ended up going back twice, once for dinner, and the last day for lunch, when it was just Carol and I.  It bills itself as Goethe's kitchen, as he ate many meals there (and they have signs to let you know.)  It's located on a very small piazza and has very nice outdoor seating with heaters.

It's funny, someone from New Zealand gave it just one star on TripAdvisor -- "Don't go, it's awful" is the review's title.  So, it just go to show that people can have very different experiences at the same restaurant.  Given how much all five of us liked it, I have to believe that the negative review was earned on the restaurant's worst day.  

From there, we traipsed down to The Basilica of the Twelve Apostles, which in Italian is the Basilica dei Santi XII Apostoli, a much more evocative set of words.

It is the only Basilica not built on an pre-existing Roman temple/building.  It was founded in the 6th century by the Pope at the time, it was severely damaged by an earthquake.  It was restored in the 15th Century, and then Pope Clement XI had it redone in the Baroque style in the beginning of the 18th Century.  

It's been called "elegant Baroque, with the highlight being frescoes, especially on the vaulted ceiling.  It also has a couple of tombs believed to have been done by Michelangelo.

Just another amazing Baroque church in Rome.

The vaulted ceiling: Triumph of

the Franciscan Order, by Baciccio

This fresco is by Giovanni Odazzi:

"Rebel Angels Defeated by St Michael"

Miscellaneous Photos

From time to time on this trip I'll stick a few photos in a short post because the pictures are interesting but not worthy of their own posts. 

The Theater of Marcellus was a grand

theatre commissioned by Julius Caesar

(the Senate didn't cut the budget.

Instead they cut him.)  It was completed

in 13 BC under Emperor Augustus

and named after his nephew who

died ten years earlier.  It is very

close to our apartment, and

ironically, is now an apartment

building.

Part of a fountain right

near our apartment.

While Italy has a much

higher smoking rate than

the US, that's not a 

cigarette (or even a Juul)

in his mouth.  

These corner street shrines are

called Madonelles.  There were

once as many as 3,000 in Rome.

I don't know how many there

are now, but we did see a lot.

The Monument to King Victor Emmanuel 

II, the first king of united Italy.  The

monument is also called the typewriter

by many, and the wedding cake by others.

(Editor: Now you have to explain to your

younger readers what a "typewriter" was.

Writer: Given the decline in marriage

rates in America, I probably should

explain what a "wedding cake" is!)

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum

The Roman Forum was the center of ancient Rome.  The city's most important temples and halls of justice were located there.  Today, the Forum is chock full of columns, arches, temples, and various ruins.  It's bigger than I remember it.

It's a valley in between Capitoline and Palatine Hills.  Rome's most important road back in the day, Via Sacra, runs right through it.  The aspiration of the top military men of the day was to ride on a chariot along the Via Sacra, with the citizens cheering your latest conquest to both keep them safe and expand the empire with both land and treasure.  

The commanding general would last in the parade, as the chests of gold and more would be first, then exotic animals from the conquered lands, prisoners in chains.  

The Arch of Titus, at the entry to the Forum, commemorated the Roman victory over the province of Judaea (Israel in AD 70).  That beautiful, historical country of Israel has known peace ever since.

(Editor: Do you even pay any attention to the news?  Writer: Oh, a little bit, why?)

We walked down Via Sacra, past the remains of Basilica of Constantine, then past the remains of various temples, and over to the Arch of Septimius Severus.  Then we visited the Forum's Main Square.  

The Column of Phocas is the last monument to be built in the Forum.  A gift of the Byzantine Empire to the previous great empire, it was constructed in AD 608 and was given to commemorate the Pantheon becoming a Christian church.

The Forum is mostly for wandering and appreciating what it must have been like back in the glory days of ancient Rome.  

Van, Maria, Julia, Carol, and your

beloved blogger!  Photo by a

thoughtful, rando passerby.

Looking up at Palatine Hill.

(Editor: So I've been patient.  What's the funny thing that happened on the way to the Forum? Writer: Do you even pay any attention to our culture?)