The ABCs of Greece & Italy! X, Y, and Z, and that Friends is THE END!!! :) See you in Asia and Australia, Join Me THERE!!

[pkondz]

Making the Most of a Minute in Rome

That should be enough. Not much to do there. Kind of a blink-and-you-miss-it kinda town, huh?

You may be wondering why I chose that title.

Now that you mention it...

You see, Rome is nick-named “The Eternal City” and an entire day spent walking around, is like a moment in time for this magnificent city.

I like that.

One could pass years here and not scratch the surface; a few years more, and one might be able to tackle the many underground sites there to discover.

Today, Anara and I would tick off the Colosseum

Why? What did the Colosseum do to you that you ticked it off? What did you do to the Colosseum??

Palatine Hill- the Heart of the Ancient-est parts of Rome. It was there that the fabled Romulus gave birth to the city.

And I'd never even heard of it! (Have heard of Romulus and Remus)

The detail on the underside of that arch is incredible! And still standing!

Many of the ruins are those of once grand homes built by aristocracy who incorporated personal temples, fabulous gardens, fountains, etc…

It does make me wonder... I would bet that the ancient Romans of those times would never believe that Rome would ever fall. That some day, all their mansions and edifices would be ruins.

Nice little artsy-fartsy shot there.

Love the juxtaposition of colours and materials here.

That building in the background looks like it's brand new.

Love this brickwork! And standing after how many centuries???

I spent quite a while looking at this photo. I find it fascinating that massive... chunks are just... gone. While the rest has stood for so long.

Sorry, we lived in the moment and I fell down on the job.

Don't apologize! You only had "a minute" to explore. If you lived there or had years, as you said, then you could slow down and take the time to do all the things. But... You do what you can and enjoy the moment.

And yet, we still had enough zing in our zang to walk to dinner.

The place was absolutely charming in both an antique but chic way. I loved the vines and lights all over the antique brick! It was like dining in a grotto with soft jazz playing and the clang of tableware making things upbeat and fun yet elegant.

Sounds (and looks!) really nice.

THEY HAD PISCO!!!

That's really pretty. Raspberry and beet, you say? How was that?

What is that??? It looks, maybe, like... a caramel over cheesecake?

On our walk home, we noticed this building and got a nice little chuckle. I suddenly felt so much safer!

No more organized crime in Rome!

Until next time, Friends! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Merry Christmas to you too!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!!! Hope you're able to enjoy and relax back at your home away from home!

 

[Steppesister]

N is for: Neighborhoods, Non-Conformist Museums, and Nifty Noshables​

Today, we’d walk another million miles and yet we weren’t in any hurry to do it. We slept in but did not tarry too long in getting our start. It was our last day in Rome, so best to make the most of it, right? As with most of my travel I try to choose a good mix of popular, must-see places and out-of-the-box oddities that I think might be really interesting. Today, tipped heavy on the… funky, the weird, and dare I say, even somber, yet beautiful. As with all of our days, wherever we were, we had a lot of ground to cover, so let’s go!!

​

Our first destination of the day involved a long walk to the Coppede Neighbourhood about an hour away. When I began researching this trip like… 3, years ago, (no, I’m not kidding; remember, it was postponed 2 years for Covid and other life events) I googled a LOT about off-the-beaten-path places to visit. Coppede came up a few times and it looked like a fun place to head for some photos.

I guess we must’ve gotten a later start than I thought because, from the timestamps on my photos, we stopped for an early lunch even before we got there. Maybe we’d both decided to sleep in? Regardless, we popped into a hopping little café that had several choices of ready-made sandwiches on fresh bread and some hot options including cooked vegetables and casserole-like dishes. We each got a couple of the small crusty bun sandwiches, and I also got us a side dish of scalloped potatoes to share. The carb-heavy meal was perfect for fueling our long walk.

​

From there, Coppede wasn’t hard to find. The ENORMOUS chandelier overhanging the decorative, arched entrance stood sentinel to this entirely quirky couple of city blocks. Once inside, it was immediately apparent that this was a neighborhood that required money. I can’t even imagine what the HOA rules would be like were there to be one. It felt a bit exclusive, and I imagined loads of pricey art hung on the walls within. Being our plebeian selves, we satiated ourselves on the artistry of the exteriors, which had a definite Renaissance/da Vinci vibe.

​

The funky little neighborhood was a fun side-stop, but it took about a decade to find a taxi to our next destination- The Capuchin Crypt. Our taxi, once we found it with the help of a South American housemaid walking her Coppede family’s dog, dropped us off near the Capuchin Church, an “odd” chapel of bones, which ended being perfect because had he dropped us off right AT the church, we’d have totally missed The Four Fountains. Pilfered from Wiki, “The Quattro Fontane (the Four Fountains) is an ensemble of four Late Renaissance fountains located at the intersection of Via delle Quattro Fontane and Via del Quirinale in Rome. They were commissioned by Pope Sixtus V and built at the direction of Muzio Mattei, and were installed between 1588 and 1593.”. Who knew!?!

(Not one of the 4 fountains, but in this batch of photos and it's a good place to put it. Especially, since I don't have the 4th and am making this up as I go.) ​

I snapped a few photos of these lovely fountains smack on the four corners of a very busy intersection in the middle of Rome and we moved on towards the museum. But first, we wasted a bunch of time lost in some urban garden of some bygone aristocratic family which was supposed to be open to see the inside of, but was not. After what seemed an eternity, we finally paid our tickets (10 Euro, about $11) and went in.

So…. I went in thinking ok, this will just be a visit to the macabre, something like going to Ripley’s; we’d see, we’d be amazed and weirded out, and we’d leave. It was not that.

At all.

I was actually incredibly moved, and it did inspire a level or worship- exactly as it’s meant to do. Before you enter the crypts, you are first required to spend time making your way through an extremely well done and tasteful museum explaining who the Capuchin Order of Monks were/ ARE!, their mission in life and how they, even today, live out their felt calling. It walked us through their history, what some of their tenets are, how they have historically helped the poor by taking a vow of simplicity and charity, etc… There were some quite lovely pieces of art, including a work by Caravaggio.

We spent about an hour or so wandering from room to room observing the VERY strict no photos policy. Several folks were admonished while we were in there for doing so. We also made sure to wear clothes that were modest and covered our shoulders and to whisper when necessary. #respect

Before proceeding into the chapels or “ossuaries” we had learned the history behind them and why they even exist. I will let you do your own research on that, but the main lesson to take away from a visit to the crypts was that they are meant to serve as a stark reminder that life is fleeting, we all pass away, are mortal, and that our duty is to make the most of life here making a difference to serve our fellow man and walk closely with God. The fact that there is art made from human bones just adds a whole other layer of amazing. There was zero macabre or weird vibe or anything distasteful about it. It was respectful and actually incredibly interesting. If you're in Rome, I'd highly recommend this stop!

Again, I did not take any photos, so the ones I post here are photos of photos that I took in the little book/gift shop at the end. LOL! There’s more than one way to skin a cat.

​

By the time we ended our self-guided audio tour, (which was included with the ticket price) we headed to the main church next door, but it was closed for the lunch hour. Bummer!

We made up for our disappointment with gelato along the way somewhere:

​

Our next item on the day’s agenda was the Trevi Fountain. No matter how off the beaten path I usually want to be, some things just shouldn’t be missed. The Trevi is definitely one. I’d seen it already once on a European Grand Tour during high school, but there was no way I’d let Anara miss it. It’s truly a beautiful fountain; no wonder it’s always mobbed with people. Like we were very prone to do, we made a wrong turn which made for a bit of a happy accident. Most people know about the Changing of the Guard in London. And Greece. And a lot of other big Capitol cities. Who knew that Rome has one too!! I sure didn’t; but our wrong turn took us to the Palazzo del Quirinale and it was timed perfectly as the Changing of the Guard was happening! Coolio! It wasn’t big, there wasn’t a bunch of full-on regalia, or fancy costumes really. Just a short and sweet little ceremony that was fun to happen upon.

​

When we got to the Trevi it was, in fact, mobbed with a throng of people and, in order to get even a half decent shot of anything, we kind of had to weave and bob. No children were harmed in the seeing of this fountain.

​

Snap, snap and off we went. No coin toss; no wishing. It was just far too people-y for us. In fact, what we’d really come to see was this:

https://www.vicuscaprarius.com/en/

Tragically, it was closed on the one day we had to see it (Mondays). We were both genuinely sad about that. However, we would make up for an underground city tour a couple of days later, so not all was lost….

To round out the day, we ended up at this most charming of eateries: Cucina del Teatro.

​

HOW we ended up there, or why we took that route is beyond me. Funny story too!!! I have some photos of our dinner and the super quaint setting but failed to take one of its actual name. I spent quite a while a couple of weeks ago hunting for clues and sort of gave up. Almost creepily, one of the Italy FB groups I follow, posted almost my exact photo about a week afterwards. I knew in an INSTANT that that’s where we’d dined and was both weirded out and thrilled that I’d found it!

(Mine of the poster/art on the wall)


(The FB one)​

Anyway, I ordered a glass of white wine that is supposed to be local to Rome (I hardly ever order white) and we split some creamy pasta, some green veggies, and shared dessert. We both sat in awe at the couple beside us who both drank an entire bottle of wine each, and then ordered more. How they could sit on their chairs without passing out in their plates of pasta was beyond me. I just knew I wanted to pay the bill and get out of their before we saw their pasta again. Yikesadoodle!!

A few more sights on the 10-minute walk home:

​

And that my friends is how we spent our last day in Rome. Still to come: Several days toodling around Tuscany, some fabulous days in Bologna, and one last day in Venice. I’m determined to finish this up before heading to the Philippines, Bail, and Autstralila/Tassie!!!

 

[Steppesister]

Replies tomorrow or later this week! I know I have some catching up to do!

 

[pkondz]

Today, we’d walk another million miles and yet we weren’t in any hurry to do it.

One must take one's time when setting out on a million mile walk. At an average pace of 3mph and an average of 6 hours/day... it's gonna take over 150 years. No sense in rushing.

we popped into a hopping little café

Huh. I usually hop into a popping café

The ENORMOUS chandelier overhanging the decorative, arched entrance stood sentinel to this entirely quirky couple of city blocks.

You know it's quirky if it's got an outdoor chandelier.

I can’t even imagine what the HOA rules would be like were there to be one.

with the help of a South American housemaid walking her Coppede family’s dog,

How did you find that out?!?!?

They were commissioned by Pope Sixtus V

Are you sure? Could've sworn it was Pope Fifthtus VI

(Not one of the 4 fountains, but in this batch of photos and it's a good place to put it. Especially, since I don't have the 4th and am making this up as I go.)

Wait... what?

I was actually incredibly moved, and it did inspire a level or worship- exactly as it’s meant to do.

Huh!

We spent about an hour or so wandering from room to room observing the VERY strict no photos policy. Several folks were admonished while we were in there for doing so. We also made sure to wear clothes that were modest and covered our shoulders and to whisper when necessary. #respect

To this day, the bones of the disrespectful tourists are on display for all to see, serving as a warning for all future visitors. Cruel, but effective.

they are meant to serve as a stark reminder that life is fleeting

Can definitely see that.

There was zero macabre or weird vibe or anything distasteful about it.

Interesting. I would've thought the opposite.

Again, I did not take any photos, so the ones I post here are photos of photos that I took in the little book/gift shop at the end. LOL! There’s more than one way to skin a cat.

We made up for our disappointment with gelato

Gelato makes up for a lot of disappointment.

Our next item on the day’s agenda was the Trevi Fountain.

I think it's a rule. Pretty sure you have to sign a contract saying that you will go, when visiting Rome.

there was no way I’d let Anara miss it.

I would hope not!

Like we were very prone to do, we made a wrong turn which made for a bit of a happy accident.

How come your (frequent) wrong turns end up in happy accidents? My wrong turns usually wind up with my car in a ditch or something.

When we got to the Trevi it was, in fact, mobbed with a throng of people

This is a truism. I don't think even rope drop would save this one. Pretty sure I saw a webpage about most overrated attractions and or disappointing attractions and that was one of them. I'd still go see it, having never been, but...

No children were harmed in the seeing of this fountain.

...that you know of.

Almost creepily, one of the Italy FB groups I follow, posted almost my exact photo about a week afterwards.

That's... either weird or fortunate.

we split some creamy pasta

That looked really good.

We both sat in awe at the couple beside us who both drank an entire bottle of wine each, and then ordered more.

I'm not sure whether to be impressed or horrified.

I just knew I wanted to pay the bill and get out of their before we saw their pasta again. Yikesadoodle!!

 

[Steppesister]

This is most profound and life-affirming piece of travel adivce I have ever encountered.

I pause now to ponder and reflect...

.

.

.

Thank you.

The pics were great and the dinner sounds like it wound up beeing a downright hootenanny!

Wow! Did I not ever post that?! Sorry, GB, I shouldn't be so derelict in posting replies, but life's a tad busy right now.

My TR's always have a good piece advice or two. Usually one, but sometimes two.

No kidding! One year you're in Greece/Italy and the next you'll be in Australia. You're seeing the world!

I won't be able to travel EVERY year, but it'd sure be nice!

This sounds like Alison's TR and her efforts to get her camera fixed. There aren't camera shops on every corner either.
Actually... there aren't that many camera shops in these parts either anymore, since everyone uses their phones for the most part now.

And nowadays, cameras, like every other "appliance" is simply built to be replaced, not fixed. UGH.

Makes sense. Everyone else lives there so no need.

But I wonder why they put up with such inconvenience of having to go so far for doing cell phone business? Maybe they just do it online?

I've done a bit of reading on eSim and the list of countries where it's available was pretty widespread. So maybe?

I still need to research how to purchase, activate, etc.... Just no time right now while I try and pass this class before the trip!

Pasta heaven!

There were SO many kinds!

I'll go with the first half of that sentence.

But, but... coffee is so delectible!

I did a quick Google. Imagine my surprise that it's named after Strasbourg in France (the Latin name was Argentoratum)

I didn't know that either! Had no idea!

Best part of any vacation!!!



Not.

Correct. It's a time sucker. I hate it.

I'm wondering if she'll still sneak in a pair or two of fancy shoes for IG.

Probably, but I will laugh at her if she tries to hike around Uluru with them on.

Finally! The relief must've been palpable.

YES!



(And yet we still took a million wrong turns.)

Nice pic. Looks like it was a nice warm day.

The weather was absolutely perfect! I think we only had one day where it drizzled the entire trip.

 

[Steppesister]

Glad you were able to get the card working again.
All those packages of pasta look SOOO good

Gosh, I"m sorry, Paula! The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of trying to pass that last class, wrapping up my contract at UK, Lexington, then the Holidays, and then moving to AZ for the winter, and then starting my next class. OY!!!! Busy, busy! But yes, getting that card working was a huge relief, ESPECIALLY with driving and navigating around Tuscany.

The variety of colors an shapes was really quite something! So many kinds!! In addition, there were also sauces and spice mixes, and all sundry of fresh veggies and fruits, breads, cheeses... So much goodness!

 

[Steppesister]

It's kind of strange to see ancient ruins surrounded by more modern buildings. I suppose that they have them all over the city.

Laundry day is a little touch of normal.

I'm glad that you got your internet back. It must have been very annoying to be without it.

Hey Sue!! Sorry for the long, long delay in replying, life has been one kind of crazy after another. Now that I'm safely stowed in my little winter home I'm settled. I won't work for a bit, so have a bit of extra time to devote to this TR in between trying to pass my next class.

It was like that all over the city- the very old mixed right in with the newer. Such an odd sight!

With a trip that long, yeah laundry was inevitable. Yuck. It'll be the same on the next one.

Annoying was an understatement for sure. It really is almost a necessity these days for getting around.

 

[Steppesister]

Just stopping by to say I'm fascinated by your trip! We did a 13 day bus tour around Italy and were at many of the same places. While I enjoyed our trip, too many stops were too short! How nice to be able to take your time and just wander. I really wanted to explore Palatine Hill but no time for that so looking forward to reading about your time there. Thanks for sharing!

Aww, I'm so glad you popped in to say howdy and give some words of encouragement. I do enjoy planning my own itineraries and doing the touring on my own terms for exactly that reason- I want to decide how long to spend at each stop. I hate being rushed along especially when trying to take quality photos. I hope you get back there again someday especially for Palatine Hill. There is a ton to see there!!!

 

[Steppesister]

Nice update! We did a Golf Cart tour of Rome when we were there in October which was really fun and drove past that Monument and I got a pic of it from an overlook across town. I couldn't remember what it was called until seeing it here. We also only were able to see the outside of the Colosseum and the Pantheon.

Why thanks!! I really enjoyed writing it too.

A golf cart tour?! Whoa! That'd be pretty cool! I didn't know there was such a thing. To be fair, I only saw the outside of the Pantheon as well, but that was my own fault. I didn't understand how to use our tour package tickets until it was just a little too late. Next time!!

 

[Steppesister]

Happy holidays to you and yours as well!! It's nice to look back on your travels when it's cold and wet and miserable here now!!

Aww, thank you, Kathy! To you and your family as well.

I have several more updates to go yet with this TR so there should be loads of reading material to carry you through until mid-February.

 

[Steppesister]

Congratulations on a job well done.
Take some time for you. Your loyal readers will wait for updates.
Have a great Christmas. Are you at your winter place or still at home with the family?

Thanks!!! It was not my best of any of the exams I've taken in this program, but a pass is a pass!! I'll take it!

After I finished my contract in Lexington, I hopped to Bowling Green for the holidays with the family, then packed up and moved to AZ for the winter. I'm slowly settling in now and have dived right into my next class- my last one with a formal proctored exam. Phew! The weather is so nice here in the 60's but will turn a bit chillier into the 50's next week which will keep me inside and focused! I need to pass it before I leave for Asia/Australia!

 

[Steppesister]

Great news! Congrats!

Thanks very much! Loads of hard work.

 

[Steppesister]

Amazing congrats!! Loving your teasers about the upcoming trip on FB...can't wait to hear all about it!

Thanks, Kathy!

I"m hoping to start a pre-trip report for that trip eventually. But looking ahead will I even have time to do one with being in the thick of Clinicals? Who knows!!

 

[Steppesister]

Congratulations! That's great news! Now enjoy the holidays

Thanks!!! I surely did! Was a nice holiday break completely off from any studying at all! I have some family that re-located a few months ago to Bowling Green from California and it was nice spending their first holiday in Kentucky with them.

 

[Steppesister]

Awesome! Congratulations!!

THANKS!!!!!

 

[Steppesister]

Congrats on the pass! And Merry Christmas to you!

Thank you so, so much!! And I hope your Christmas was wonderful as well!!! Now it's back to the books and another class, the last 2 to go!

 

[Steppesister]

That was really great of that guy to get your ticket situation figured out.

It sure was!! I'm not sure we'd ever have gotten it worked out otherwise!

I love the picture of the grotto with the hanging gardens. I imagine the rich citizens living in luxury and the common people being dirt poor.

Even so many centuries later, they were in good shape! I'm sure they are maintained on some level but were such a nice touch to get a glimpse of what it might have been like was really super!

This is a really lovely restaurant. I love the amuse bouche.

It was a great find! 2/3 of the restaurants we ended up in Rome were unplanned, so I'd say I batted 100% in that dept!

 

[Steppesister]

That should be enough. Not much to do there. Kind of a blink-and-you-miss-it kinda town, huh?

LOL!! It's sooooo massive. Walkable for sure, but you're gonna put some miles on those feet!

Why? What did the Colosseum do to you that you ticked it off? What did you do to the Colosseum??

I wondered if anyone would bite at that. I can always count on you!

And I'd never even heard of it! (Have heard of Romulus and Remus)

The detail on the underside of that arch is incredible! And still standing!

I know!!! I was pretty amazing at that myself.

It does make me wonder... I would bet that the ancient Romans of those times would never believe that Rome would ever fall. That some day, all their mansions and edifices would be ruins.

Maybe not....

Nice little artsy-fartsy shot there.

Thanks.

Love the juxtaposition of colours and materials here.

Exactly what drew me to it for photographing. Really nice material there.

That building in the background looks like it's brand new.

That building was in the TR earlier where all the little Fiats were driving near.

Love this brickwork! And standing after how many centuries???

Pretty nice huh?! Such precision!

I spent quite a while looking at this photo. I find it fascinating that massive... chunks are just... gone. While the rest has stood for so long.

I know!! I think a ton of it was pilfered for other projects in Rome and was looted along the way as well. I know some was taken for WW2?

Don't apologize! You only had "a minute" to explore. If you lived there or had years, as you said, then you could slow down and take the time to do all the things. But... You do what you can and enjoy the moment.

Exactly. Just gotta focus on a few things and make the most of those.

That's really pretty. Raspberry and beet, you say? How was that?

I really enjoyed it a lot. It wasn't super sweet, but did the job of whetting the appetite. A nice combo of flavors.

What is that??? It looks, maybe, like... a caramel over cheesecake?

I think it was like a canoli cheesecake thing.

No more organized crime in Rome!

HAHAH!!

 

[Steppesister]

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!!! Hope you're able to enjoy and relax back at your home away from home!

Thanks, Jackie! I am here now and settling in so nicely. Lots of set up still to do, but focusing on my class first and foremost. I putter on little breaks and will get there.